The Wind breathes Fire
by Synchronized Harmony
Summary: The sequel to 'The Return of Lord Shen'. A mysterious vision, a secret meaning, and an ancient strength. All these lead together, to create the strongest rival that the Furious Five, the Dragon Warrior, China, or the WORLD has ever seen. And it all started with an unnaturally white peacock...
1. Prolouge

Prolouge

Silence.

That was the word that you would use to describe the Dragon's grotto. It was a place of unrivaled peace, the perfect location to dwell on deep thoughts, to look for the answers for life's great questions. It was a place of quiet stillness, of slow movements, and quiet breaths.

The two creatures filled each of these requirements, as they both moved with slow, flowing Tai Chi movements.

But there was one here who did not feel that he belonged.

Next to the panda, who moved with flowing grace unaccustomed to his body, stood the ghostly white body of a peacock, Lord... Well, former Lord, Shen Lee Han.

It was a exercise in peace and harmony, an exercise that both Shen and the panda, Po, enjoyed a good deal more than the other exercises that they were required to do.

Despite the fact that the peacock had not the slightest idea of what he was supposed to do.

Only four months ago, Shen had come to the Jade palace under no ordinary circumstances, the brunt of an unfortunate mistake that caused him to split into two separate individuals. Both of these individuals had chosen different paths, but they led together in the end, as one Shen was forced to fight the other in possibly the strangest battle in history.

One had come out the victor, the peacock that had taken the path of redemption, using newly-found peace to overcome his adversary.

But now, as they trained to channel that same peace, it seemed to have deserted him.

When he had stared down the falling airship, everything had come naturally. It had just... Flowed. But now...

Po traced a circle on the ground with his foot, and reached upwards with his eyes closed. Shen watched, as the outstretched paw gently caught a falling water drop, letting it run unbroken down his arms. It looked like a glass ball, running down from one arm to the next, before carefully dropping it into the pool nearby.

Shen watched closely, with fascinated eyes. He could watch that spectacle a thousand times, and not get tired. It was like a magnet for his eyes.

Po stepped aside, and gestured to Shen.

"Alright then, your turn, Shen," he said.

"Oh no," Shen replied quickly, shaking his wings, "I-I can't..."

"Yes, you can!" Po assured, "Go ahead!"

Shen shook his head, sighed, and stepped forward, beneath the stalactite that the water ran off.

His mind rushed frantically, as he closed his eyes.

_"Come on now..."_ he thought to himself, _"Just catch the drop. It's not that hard."_

His foot traced a circle on the ground, identical to Po's. but it was different, like someone aiming an unloaded gun, the soul was not in it.

He reached upwards with his wing, a little bit hesitatingly, as he had no idea what he was doing. The water drop missed his wing completely, striking him on the end of his beak.

Shen's eyes sprang open, and he brushed the water droplets from his beak in disgust. He stepped away from the circle, shaking his wings and neck disappointedly.

"See?" he growled at the panda, who was giggling softly, "I told you I couldn't... I can't do it anymore!"

"Eeh, that wasn't so bad!" Po reassured, "I mean, I must have done worse on my first try!"

Shen only huffed disconsolately, and sat down.

"What matters is that you can do it when you need to, right?" Po asked cheerily.

"You can do it whenever you want," Shen snarled in reply, "I can't do it at all..."

"What, you can't be thinking of quitting now, are you?" Po questioned incredulously, spreading his arms, "You just started!"

"Face it, panda, I'm not any good at this!" the peacock hissed, "Inner peace is found through suffering-"

"Well, it can be-"

"I have suffered more than any person imaginable!" Shen continued, standing up, and beginning to walk round in circles, "I have SUFFERED through my childhood, STRUGGLED through every moment of my whole blasted and wretched life..." Shen kicked the water ruthlessly, and a large torrent of water flew into the air and drenched him.

He seemed to calm down at the cold touch of the water, and deflated sadly by the shore.

"I have gone through every horrible thing imaginable... I've died and come back... And yet I still can't catch a water drop."

Po was about to say something, but Shen continued.

"I'm not good at anything here. I'm not as strong as Tigress, can't fly as well as Crane, and not as fast or as flexible as Mantis or Viper. I don't fit in at all."

Po rolled his eyes. This peacock never seemed to know when to stop bashing himself.

"Shen, no-one can throw a knife as well as you can..." he pointed out.

"But no-one thinks that's part of Kung Fu. When it comes down it, the only thing that is ever measured are your hands and feet," Shen replied, "And I can't do anything with either of those."

"Yeah you can!" Po reminded,

"I spent all that time teaching you, remember? You even beat me once."

Shen sighed, remembering the days at Heaven's pothole, when Po had spent time teaching the peacock in unarmed combat. The thought seemed to cheer him up a little.

"Now, how about you try again?" Po asked coaxingly, "I'm going to quote Mei Ling on this, you never know until you try... And if you never know, well... You'll never know!"

Shen stood up slowly, brushing the remaining water off his clothes. "But I'm all wet."

Po crossed his arms, and glared.

"Fine, panda, I'll try again. But I still don't understand what I'm doing..." Shen grumbled, walking back under the stalactite, "It would be nice if you could PERHAPS give me some advice!"

Po did not respond, only looked up quickly.

"Phhmmmfff. Fine. Suit yourself," Shen growled, closing his eyes.

"I'm waiting for the magic word," Po replied, his eyes still on the sky.

Magic word? Wha... Oh, that.

"Pand- Po, I..." the peacock stuttered, then deflated, "Oh fine. Po, could you PLEASE help me to do this?"

Po's response to the word was so immediate, that Shen almost wondered it it really was a magic word. He looked down at the peacock, and kneeled down next to him.

Shen shifted uncomfortably. He never liked having such a large animal so close to him.

"Now, Shen, Shifu is way better at this, but he's not here, so... Anyway," Po began, launching into the basic premise of inner peace that Shen had heard a million times before, and he peacock's mind began to wander.

Shifu would have been teaching him, and had in fact tried, but had in the end turned the job over to Po. Why? Because the panda was actually able to get results, where no-one else could.

Shen had a rare respect for the panda, even if he had sometimes a little trouble showing it. At least, that's what Master Shifu had said to them at the time...

Shen secretly wondered if it was just because the Grandmaster was uncomfortable around him. It was hard to blame him, though, considering what Shen used to be...

A murderer. A warlord. A criminal. A dangerous one at that, too. He had created a weapon to take China and end Kung Fu, and led an army to accomplish those goals. He would have won, too...

Had it not been for a bizarre twist of fate, which brought the Dragon Warrior, Po, to defeat him and his weapon. The twist was that the dragon warrior was probably one of the last surviving pandas... last surviving because Shen had massacred them as a young man, in order to stop a prophecy... Only to bring it to life.

Shen's beak twisted downwards, at the thought of his past crimes... Crimes which still haunted him, even now.

He brought himself from his thoughts quickly, and focused back in on what Po was saying.

"... and that road can lead you there. Did you get that?"

Shen blinked quickly, trying to recall what the panda had been saying. He came up with nothing, so he shook his head, a little shamefacedly.

"What!? Don't tell me I've gotta explain it all again!" Po exclaimed, placing a disturbed paw on his face, "That had a load of hard-to-say words in it too..."

Shen rolled his eyes. "Perhaps you could brush over it?"

Now it was Po's turn to roll his eyes. "Shen, there are some things you just can't brush over. And this is one of them."

"Well, it couldn't hurt to just... skip past a little, would it?" Shen asked hopefully.

"Nah," came the reply, "Stand over here, and just try again."

Shen stood up again, and grudgingly moved into his tai chi stance. Po corrected the stance minimally, but not much. This was one of those things that each person had to do for himself.

All the same, there was ONE thing that Po thought was needing correction.

"Shen, are you feeling peaceful?" he asked, somewhat haltingly, "Because you don't look it..."

That seemed to spark something inside Shen's highly volatile nature, and he whirled. "I am PERFECTLY peaceful!" then, realizing what he had just done, he continued.

"At least I was... Just not on the inside."

"That's the thing, Shen," Po replied, "I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure you need to be peaceful on the inside for inner peace."

Shen blinked. "Of course you do, panda. I do believe that is why they call it 'Inner' peace."

"It's like a river, Shen," Po continued, seemingly ignoring Shen's statement, "With eddies and whorls, and a main flow. The river is your chi. Inner peace is the maintained control of that flow, in order to make it flow, well, smooth. When every ounce of your fiber is concentrated, you can be surprised at what you are capable of."

"I am aware of all that panda," Shen replied, a little testily, "My question is, what must I do to attain that state?"

"Concentrate," Po replied simply. That's what everyone told him, perhaps it would work for Shen.

"On what? What do I concentrate on? The water drop? I have done that the whole time!"

Po suddenly felt a flash inside his head. "THAT'S what you have been doing wrong this whole time, Shen!" he exclaimed excitedly, "You are supposed to concentrate on yourself! Here, try again, and this time, look inside. Search yourself within, find any deep places, uncover any lost things. That might help."

Shen stepped forward again, and closed his eyes, searching himself. Perhaps there was a part of him missing, that he just needed to find... He shut his eyes tightly, as images of his life began to flash in front of him.

_Look deeper..._ There he was, directly after his exile, full of hate and anger... And pain, and sorrow.

_Look deeper..._ There he was, before his exile, watching his fiancé, Laeia, run off into the snow, never for him to see again.

_Look deeper..._ There he was, meeting up with a lonely, one-eyed wolf, who quickly became his first real friend. Both outcasts, both lonely...

_Look deeper..._ There he was, as a fiery blue bolt flew in front of his face, striking his siblings, who he had loved more that anyone else... Taking them forever.

_Look deeper..._ There he was, seeing the shocked faces of his parents for the first time, then seeing their smiles as he pushed out of his eggshell.

_Look deeper still..._ How can you look any deeper than that? That was his entire life...

_Forget your body... Look into your soul..._

Shen, almost unconsciously, extended his wingtips, catching a falling water-drop perfectly on his snowy-white feathers.

_Look into your soul..._

_Shen forgot his memories, forgot everything... and just listened._

The water-drop rolled along the edge of his wing, and slid onto his side, where it was caught by the waiting feathers of his other wing.

_Suddenly, a flash! There was lightning within Shen's mind, as a bright light erupted. Suddenly, his head was filled with visions, or memories, that he had never seen before. They were garbled, and tattered... Nothing complete. It wasn't that he didn't remember the rest, it was like he only had part of it there._

The water-drop ran like a glass sphere down his secondary flight feathers, and slid along his back, sliding down his long train.

_Suddenly, one thing from the images came crystal clear. A view was spread before him, and it was beautiful. It looked like an enormously picturesque city, and it almost... sparkled. He heard a soft voice, which he assumed must be his._

_"What now? What am I to do now?"_

_The voice came from his throat, but it didn't sound like him._

_It sounded almost... feminine. In fact, it sounded VERY feminine._

_Soft wings rubbed over his eyes, and he could feel the phantom memory of tears in his eyes._

_"Whatever happens," the feminine Shen-memory-voice continued, "Happiness is an attitude. Remember that, and sorrow will trail behind."_

The water-drop swirled, as Shen moved his train around in front of him, and serenly dropped it into the pool.

It was like being released from a grip. Shen's eyes flew open, and he was suddenly dizzy and disoriented.

"You did it! That was so totally awesome!" Po's voice echoed faintly in his ears, but failed to register. What was that!?

"Shen?" Po asked, confused, "What's the matter? What did you see?"

Shen stuttered, and sat down slowly. Looking up at the panda, he finally answered.

"I don't know, panda," he murmured breathlessly, "I don't know what it was... But I think I looked deep enough."

"Describe it!" Po said enthusiastically, "Perhaps it's a missing part of you, that needs to be filled before you can truly achieve peace!"

Shen shook his head. "I doubt it... It was probably only a hallucination."

Po didn't accept that theory. "Shen, it's impossible to catch a raindrop, and have a hallucination at the same time. One or the other, not both."

"I suppose you know everything about it, then?" Shen retorted, a little harshly. He looked up at Po, and sighed.

"Fine. I'll tell you..." he took a deep breath, and continued, "It was like... I was standing on a balcony, impossibly high... Below me, a city spread, glittering, almost golden. It was amazing... But then I heard a voice... I suppose it was mine, there was no-one else there, it asked 'what now'."

Shen stopped, and looked up to see if the panda was listening. He was.

"Go on..." Po encouraged.

"But it didn't sound like me at all!" Shen exclaimed, "The voice, I mean, it sounded like a girl! Or actually, a woman. But it wasn't me."

Po scrunched up his face. "Think... Um... Anyone you know?"

Shen thought a while, then thought some more. "Now that you mention it... The voice does seem oddly familiar... But I can't place it."

Po thought, then seemed to think of something. "Perhaps if you list off all the women you have ever met..."

"That's ridiculous," Shen replied, blushing, "I have met far too many, and it's just not right to go listing off women..."

"Well, peacock, what do you suggest?" Po asked loftily.

"I don't know. Just forget it," Shen told himself, "It was probably only a hallucination anyway."

"If you say so, Shen. But remember it, it might be important," Po advised.

"How am I supposed to forget it AND remember it, Panda?" Shen asked, with an odd half-smile on his white face.

Po had been caught. "I don't know!" he shrugged, "Put it in the back of your mind, or something. Now, let's get back to Master Shifu."

"Yes, we have spent a rather long time over here," Shen frowned, standing up and moving in the direction of the Jade palace, "Longer than we were supposed to.."

"Huh?" Po asked absently, "Oh yeah, no actually I was thinking that it's time for lunch. Gotta keep the old tummy full, ya'know."

Shen blinked. "There is something seriously wrong with your priorities, panda."

"When the time comes, I can get 'em straight," the panda replies, "But for now, let's go get some munchies!"

He raced off down the mountain, and Shen glided down after him, placing his odd vision in the back of his mind, for now.

Halfway down, a sudden blur of orange and black ran into Po full-tilt.

"Huaahh!" the panda yelped, "ARGH! Oof, ow!"

Shen, from his position in the air, watched Po and Tigress roll down the mountainside, eventually stopping in a small flat area. He landed just in time to watch Po getting flipped into the air by the striped feline.

"...look where you're going next time!" she was exclaiming, brushing dirt and grass from her arms.

"Alright, alright!" Po replied placatingly, "I will!"

"Good," Tigress replied shortly, dropping the black-and-white bear to the ground.

"Gee, thanks..." Po said, getting from his position on the dirt, "What where you doing out here, anyway?"

"I was sent by Master Shifu to get you," she informed, "He was beginning to wonder where you had vanished to."

"Well, we were just going there," Shen interjected, "We were a little held up."

Tigress fixed the avian in a glare. Shen returned it, and the two attacked each other with their eyes for a second.

Then Shen looked away, breaking the connection. His relationship with the tiger was less than friendly. Although he was still on unsteady terms with most of the Five, Tigress was the only one who was openly hostile. It was no secret that she was eagerly awaiting the day that Shen would screw up, and whenever he did, she was there to criticize him for it, with relish.

"Well, Po, Shen," she said slowly, "We should get back now."

The three warriors hiked down the mountain together, in a less-than-friendly silence.

* * *

_Author's note: And here starts the sequel to 'The return of Lord Shen', released ahead of schedule! Now, I have three projects right now, as you can seepay my profile, but this one is top priority, then Defiant-Candle's Drabble collection, then circling flames. Anyway, please read and review! _

_This will probably be just as long, perhaps longer, than the last one, so a rather slow start. This is only the Prolouge, after all._

_Until next time, goodbye!_


	2. Friends and foes

Chapter One

* * *

Night was over the Jade palace, and all was silent. The Five were asleep, except for Tigress, who had left to find Po and Shen. They were VERY late...

Shifu, sitting motionless on top of Grandmaster Oogway's staff, frowned unconsciously. He knew that it took some time to get used to things, and to even attempt to find peace, but not this long!

A shaft of moonlight creeped it's way into the room, as the celestial silver orb climbed into the sky. Almost simultaneously, Tigress, Shen, and Po burst in, quietly creeping back towards their rooms, trying not to wake anyone.

Shifu's ears twitched, and he leaped from the staff with amazing skill, and ran towards the three animals.

"Master Tigress, Po, Shen!" he called quickly, and smiled at their expressions, it was if they had been caught doing something illegal.

"I'm sorry, Master, but it took me a while to find them," Tigress said, as she and the others bowed hastily, "We should retire quickly."

"You should indeed," Shifu replied, "Now move along."

Tigress and the others moved as if to leave. Suddenly, a goose crash-landed unceremoniously before them. It was Zeng, the palace messenger and janitor.

"Master Shifu! Master Shifu!" the goose half-called, half-whispered, "I have a message for you! Where are you?"

"Behind you, Zeng. What is it?" Shifu said quietly.

"Aak!" Zeng started, and turned quickly, "There you are! I have a message for you!"

"I understood that. Let me see it," Shifu replied.

Zeng handed Shifu a scroll, inside a casing, which Shifu quickly removed. When he had finished reading it, he turned to Tigress, Shen, and Po.

"A village is under attack from bandits. You must go immediately, now get going."

"But the others-" Tigress said questioningly.

"Are asleep. You are awake, and ready for action. Now get going!" Shifu interrupted.

"But what about me?" Shen asked quickly, "I haven't done any fighting yet-"

"Well, consider this your first combat experience," Shifu replied, just as quickly, "Now, lives are at stake right now, so get GOING!"

None of the others argued further, only raced from the Jade palace. Well, at least Shen and Tigress did. Po had sorta dissapeared...

Shen gulped, realizing that he was alone with Tigress, as they raced down the stairs to the floor. Fortunately, Tigress was concentrating on the task at hand, and didn't waste time burning him. She did, however, send him a warning glance. It said everything.

_"Mess this up, or do anything wrong, and I'll kill you."_

Shen shuddered. Obviously, she wasn't too comfortable with the idea of fighting next to Shen.

Po finally caught up with them, and they raced away down the bridge.

"Where were you?" Tigress called back to him.

"I was getting a map from Master Shifu," Po replied pantingly, "We didn't know where we were going, so I thought it might help!"

Tigress had nothing to reply to that. She had forgotten that as well.

Shen gave a silent grin to Po, who grinned back. It wasn't often that they managed to confound Tigress, who was normally very sharp-witted. She must be sleepy.

They raced across the Valley at rapid speed, heading toward the marked location on Po's map.

It was a two hour run, as the left the Valley. The town they were heading towards was inside Valley territory, but was outside the actual valley itself. So it was a long run.

* * *

But they eventually got there, and it was obvious where the bandits were instantly. There was a large wolf or some other canine, the dark light made it hard to be totally sure. They were going from house to house, practically unopposed, the few villagers who did try anything were quickly kicked down, unconscious... Or worse.

"Hey you cowards! Stop this!" Tigress yelled, her voice roaring over the entire village, "Pick on someone your own size!"

The wolf sized them up, and backed off a few steps.

"Hey guys!" he called to another bandit, "It looks like we got trouble! There's a tiger over here!"

Another wolf ran up, and brandished it's spear at her. She roundhouse kicked the spear away from him, and hammer punched his head. The wolf crumpled.

The other bandits gaped. It had just taken her about three seconds, to immobilize one of their best men!

"Get her!" the first wolf yelled, and five more leapt towards the warriors, who moved into their stances. The battle was on!

"Aargh!" a wolf howled, snapping it's jaws at Tigress, who slid backwards quickly, and punched him in the chest.

The wolf retaliated with his sword, slicing downwards, but was suddenly tripped and slammed by Po, who then picked up a pot, and crashed it on another wolf's cranium.

"No way..." the poor lupine moaned, "A panda..." then he fell backwards, unconscious.

The first wolf, who seemed to be the leader, judging by his rich-looking cape, rushed forwards, and attacked Po and Tigress together.

Shen, watching from the air, had gone unnoticed for now. In a one-on-one battle, he was extremely dangerous, one-on-two, just as much. But when there were five, six, or even seven enemies, all at once, he had not the teamwork knowledge that enabled Tigress, Po, and the Furious Five to take out an army.

So he just glided, waiting for a opportunity... He found one, as the wolf leader below span himself, his cape flying out into Po's face.

While it was out, Shen pinned it with a throwing knife, rendering the wolf leader immobile.

Tigress took advantage of this, leaping into the air, and kicking him in the chin with amazing force. The wolf fell unconscious, almost instantly.

Shen landed quickly, and fanned his train into a remaining wolf, who had the misfortune to be separated from the rest. The wolf yelped, and turned...

And then he sorta stared, his eyes fixed on Shen's train.

"Shen?" he asked, almost confusedly.

But Shen never got to find out what he meant, as he was already in mid kick on the lupine's forehead, sending him sprawling.

But he had heard that, and leapt back as if he had been stung. The wolf had recognized him! Was it possible that... These could be some of his wolves, remnants of his army? The thought was scary, considering what had happened the last time he had met them...

Killing their leader, also Shen's single friend, and firing a cannon at them, would leave them a little sore...

Suddenly, by instinct, he ducked.

Just in time, too, as an arrow zipped over his head.

He fanned his train and span, breaking up his real outline. This made it harder for an archer to aim at him. Still, it was no guarantee, and he was hard-pressed to avoid the arrows. And he still didn't know where they were coming from...

Suddenly, the arrows stopped, and all was quiet.

Silence hung over the air like a fog- then was broken by an eerie wolf-howl, echoing away into the distance. Another replied, and then, there was silence once more.

Shen recognized the howls. It was a retreat. They had won! Well, Po and Tigress had, he hadn't done much...

He leaped into the air once more, and glided around in circles, trying to find the two Masters. He found Po, and landed down next to him.

"Shen! Where were you?" he asked, "You should have seen it! There was like seven wolves at once, and then I like punched one into the air, and then Tigress kicked him in midair, right into the other six! It was awesome!"

Shen nodded slowly. "I'm sure..."

"It was like SHAPOW! And then KACK! And then UGH!" the panda continued his rant, "I was so amazed... And now I'm so tired..."

With those words, Po unconsciously jinxed the other two warriors. They had been training all day, ran all the way here, and then fought about fifteen well-armed and skilled fighters, all of which are draining activities.

"Actually, panda," Shen said stuffily, holding back a yawn, "I am rather tired as well..."

"Well, the sooner we get back, the sooner we can rest," Tigress pointed out, panting a little from the fight. Safe to say, she had done most of it.

"So let's get going."

Shen looked around. He recognized this place, he realized. He had stopped off on the way to the Valley from Gongmen!

Well, it hadn't been a voluntary stop. He had been unconscious at the time...

He suddenly remembered that kitten he had met, Sao was her name... She would be seven now... He wondered if she was okay...

"Shen, are you coming, or what?" Po called, already leaving.

"Wha- oh yeah, I'm coming!" Shen called, "Just.. Hold on a second!"

Hmmmph... They probably wouldn't want to see him again anyway. Chances were, they had found out who he was by now...

He turned, and raced after the other two warriors, his train flowing behind him like the tail of a dragon, semi-glowing in the moonlight.

When he finally caught up with them, they settled into the routine of walking. But Shen was distracted, and constantly found himself lagging behind.

They had been walking for about fifteen minutes, when they passed by a house that was very familiar to Shen. It was Inazuma's household, Sao's father... And they were outside their house, surveying the damage done by the bandits.

Shen couldn't resist. He could not just walk by, when they were RIGHT THERE!

"Hold on a second, will you?" Shen called to Po, "I need to do something..."

"Where are you going?" Po asked.

"Nothing, I-"

"Hey," Po interrupted, "Isn't that that cat-family who rescued us, way back then? Hey! HEY!"

He called and waved, so loudly in the dead of night, that Shen and Tigress both winced.

Inazuma heard them, alright. You would need to be deaf to miss them. He turned towards them, and walked over.

"Greetings, honorable Dragon Warrior," he began, as if reciting a rehearsed speech, "I would like to thank you for saving our home."

Po sighed. He knew this cat, who stuck doggedly to traditions and formality.

"You're welcome!" he replied cheerily, "It's what I do, after all. So, how have things been since we last met?"

"Completely satisfactory, Dragon Warrior, all things considered," the elderly cat replied, "But we have you to thank for our safety."

"Po?" Tigress asked, "You know this cat?"

"Sure I do, Tigress," Po replied, "We met on the way to the Jade palace, when me, Viper, and Shen were traveling back from Gongmen. Well, actually, he rescued us when we were caught in a giant storm."

"Oh," Tigress said.

"Here, Inazuma, let me introduce you," Po offered, "This, Tigress, is Inazuma, and Inazuma, this is Master Tigress."

"It is an honor, Master Tigress," Inazuma bowed.

"And I'm sure you already know Shen," Po continued, gesturing to the peacock, who suddenly felt self-conscious, and almost tried to hide.

"I do indeed," came the reply. If he had any emotions towards the avian, he kept them well hidden.

"Greetings," Shen half bowed, speaking for the first time, "It is a pleasure to meet again."

"I'm sure it is mutual," the feline stated, turning towards the peacock, "We have heard some... Odd rumors about you. My daughter refuses to believe any of them."

Shen half-smiled. "How is your daughter, anyway? I trust she is feeling well?"

"She is," Inazuma relied with a slight smile, "Although she still is somewhat melancholy, your visit seems to have done her some good."

"Po, we should be getting back now," Tigress reminded quietly, "Master Shifu will be wondering what has become of us, and it's a long walk back."

"It it pleases you, you are more that welcome to spend the night in our wretched home," Inazuma told them respectfully, "If that is what you wish."

Now, calling your home wretched might sound a little weird, but to anyone in China, it was normal, even polite.

"We wouldn't want to impose, sir," Tigress replied, just as respectfully, "You will have enough to do, without us getting in the way."

"As I said, you are only welcome if you want to stay," the elderly cat reminded, "If you do not wish to spend the night, that also is fine with me, and I'm sure my wife would agree."

"Thank you for understanding, Inazuma," Tigress bowed, then turned to Po, "Come, we have a long walk ahead of us."

Po, whose legs had become double-tired at the thought of not having to walk all that far, quickly turned to her. Shen watched him and Tigress converse in hushed tones, and exaggerated arm motions.

"What are they doing?" Shen muttered to himself quietly.

Tigress walked back to them, a half-amused, half-angry look on her face.

"We have reconsidered our decision, Inazuma. My friend," -she gestured to Po- "is more tired than I had thought. If the offer is still open, we would like to spend the night with you."

"It is still open," Inazuma replied, placing his paws behind his back, "After all, we are all in your debt for saving our possessions, and possibly, our lives."

"Thank you, sir," Tigress finished, "We would be pleased to stay in your honorable home."

"Then welcome!" Inazuma exclaimed with a smile, opening the gate that bordered the property, "Come in, come in! I will just alert my wife as to your arrival. Please wait for just a second."

"No trouble, sir," Shen reassured. Tigress glared at him, as if she was angry that he had opened his mouth.

The cat walked away quickly, and disappeared inside his house. Po groaned, and sat down.

"Ooohhhh... My legs are sore..." he looked up, and realized that Tigress was glaring at him. "What?" he asked.

"You took advantage of that man's hospitality!" she replied sternly, "You can't just barge inside someone's house! We hardly know him!"

"We do so know him!" Po retorted, "And we-"

"You have MET him, Po," Tigress admonished icily, "You don't know him. There is a difference."

"But I'm tired, Tigress!" Po moaned, "Pandas weren't made for long walks!"

"Says who?" the striped feline shot back, "Have you ever met one?"

Shen looked away, catching the subtle attack there. The reason that Po had never met another giant panda was because Shen had killed them all.

"How much longer do you think we will be out here?" the peacock asked nonchalantly, trying to change the subject, "Do you suppose he's told them yet?"

Suddenly, a small bundle of grey fluff shot from the house.

"Shen! Shenshenshenshen Shen?" echoed over the air.

"I think he's told them," Po said with a grin, "Hey, Sao!"

Sao bounded up to them, then ground to a halt abruptly, seemingly overcome with nervousness at the sight of the panda.

"Oh brother!" Po groaned, "You seriously find me scary, and not Shen? What's with that?"

"Ahh... Nuthin..." Sao said quietly, "You're just kinda... big, and I'm little..."

Po rolled his eyes, and smiled. "Well, you know, I have always thought of myself as being good with children, now, why don't you come a little closer?"

Sao took a half-step back.

"Here kitty-kitty, come on," Po continued, stretching out his arm, "Come on! Here kitsy-ku! Come here!"

Sao took a full step back.

"Stop it, panda, you're scaring the girl," Shen reprimanded, stopping the rather immature display, "I'd be scared of that..."

"Look, she's not scared!" Po defended, "Are you, little kitten?"

Sao didn't reply, only stared suspiciously.

"She looks scared," Shen stated pointedly, then turned to the kitten.

"Hello there, Sao."

"Hi..." she replied shyly.

"I missed you," he continued.

"Really?" she answered, a small smile forming on her face.

"Just a little," Shen replied jokingly, "Just a teeny-tiny bit..."

She frowned, as if she was interpreting that statement, before a wide grin appeared. "Only a little? Obviously, I didn't yank your head-crest hard enough!"

Shen straightened up to his full height. "Oh no, don't you do that again! I like this thing in one piece, thank you very much!"

Tigress watched this whole conversation in quiet confusion. She refused to believe that Shen was capable of changing, but it almost seemed that he was being... soft, with that kitten. The ridiculous thought that this may not be Shen crossed her mind briefly, but she laughed it off.

Sao looked up at her, and Tigress looked away quickly, embarrassed with her eavesdropping.

Footsteps approached, and all four animals looked up. A black cat, with white underneck, walked sedately up, and called something in Japanese. Shen and Po recognized her as Hikari, Inazuma's wife, and Sao's mother.

Sao walked up to her, and replied something back in the same language.

Hikari seemed to 'hush' her, and turned to the warriors.

"Please forgive my daughter for her... straightforwardness. I'm very sorry..." she said to Po in Chinese.

"It's no trouble, ma'am," Po replied, bowing quickly, "We like children, right Tigress?"

Tigress frowned, and said nothing. It was a well-known fact that she was not all that fond of children.

"All the same, she must learn some manners... Sometimes, I wonder if she hears anything that I say..."

Sao protested loudly in Japanese, and was hurriedly 'hushed' again by her mother.

"Come," Hikari turned back to them, "You must be tired."

"Oh man, you have no idea!" Po groaned, standing up heavily, "Lead the way!"

Hikari blinked, still unused to the Dragon Warrior's informality.

"Very well, Dragon Warrior," she said finally, "I shall. Follow me."

Hikari led the warriors to her and her family's home.

Shen noticed a flower-garden in the front, brimming with flowers.

The five animals went inside, and the warriors were lead to a room which must have been the living-area.

"Please wait here, while I prepare your rooms. My husband will keep you company," Hikari informed.

"Thank you again, ma'am," Tigress said quickly.

"It is I who should be thanking you, Master Tigress," the smaller feline replied gracefully, "Now, If you will excuse us..."

"Of course," Tigress answered respectfully.

"Thank you," Hikari smiled, then turned to her daughter, "Sao, come with me. I need your help setting up the rooms."

Sao obviously didn't think much of this idea, as the sudden rush of Japanese exemplified.

Hikari replied in Japanese as well, although you didn't need to know the language to understand what she was probably saying.

Sao said something back in Japanese, softer this time.

Hikari took her by the paw, and led her upstairs, where their soft voices, still speaking Japanese, could be heard faintly from the living-room.

The three warriors walked into the room, and sat down. The chairs were comfortable, and especially so to the tired fighters.

Inazuma walked in, carrying a tray of tea. The smell was soothing and inviting. He set it down on a mat in the center if the room, and offered them each a cup. No-one refused.

They proceeded to make pleasant conversation, far into the night. The tea was warm, and it seemed to make them drowsy, as they settled further into the chairs. It was a delightfully comfortable drowsiness, keeping them on the verge of sleep, but not letting them go over the edge.

It was about three in the morning, when Hikari finally came back downstairs, and told them that their rooms were ready.

This news was met with great enthusiasm by the warriors, who stood up, still very sleepy.

As they each trooped upstairs, Shen felt Hikari's paw on his wing. He turned, and she pulled him aside.

"Shen, my daughter wishes to sleep in the room with you. Is that alright?"

Shen considered this. Spend the night with a squirmy, noisy, and slightly obnoxious kitten? Not normally, but this was Sao.

"That is perfectly alright, Hikari. I don't mind..." he replied softly, smiling weakly, "I'm just a little tired, I doubt a herd of elephants could keep me awake right now."

Hikari smiled. "I should let you get to your sleep. Your room is the same as before."

Shen bowed goodnight, and went upstairs. He found his room quickly, and flopped into the bed without reserve.

It was a few minutes later, that Sao asked him about that flower she had given him. She never got an answer. Shen was fast asleep.

* * *

_Author's note: Now, I must point out, you are not going to understand much of this chapter or the next, if you have not read 'The return of Lord Shen'. Go read it, if you haven't._

_Anyway, I received two whole reviews last chapter! Wow! Isn't that amazing!_

_*Hint: if you review this story, I can update faster, like literally. I'm not just saying this!_

_Goodbye!_


	3. Lies

Chapter Two

* * *

It was quite late when Shen woke up, the bitter aftertaste of tea in his mouth. Soft light was streaming in through the thin shades, and there was flittering, light threads of birdsong coming from outside.

Shen rubbed his eyes groggily, and wobbled over to the shades. He slid them aside, and looked out. Judging by the light, it was either late noon, or early afternoon.

"So much for getting up with the birds..." he muttered to himself wryly.

Scanning his eyes around the room, he found that he was alone. He was late. His gaze stopped on a mirror, which he hastened towards. In the reflective surface, he saw that he was rather disheveled-looking, and his robes were rumpled. He proceeded to straighten his feathers and clothes, smiling to himself as he remembered watching Viper do this in front of this very same mirror. He had commented about her vanity, to which she had replied, "Like you wouldn't!"

"Well," he said to the absent snake, although there was no way for her to hear him, "I suppose you were right."

Making a final brush on his plumage, he looked at it from several angles in the mirror. When he was satisfied that it was acceptable, he turned, and left, heading downstairs slowly. He heard Tigress's voice, and groaned inwardly. She had been up before him! Oh bother... And what had she been talking about?

He turned the corner, into the living area again. Hikari, Tigress, and Sao were seated there, rapidly eating... Well, at least Tigress was.

He smiled slightly. If she was still eating breakfast, that meant she couldn't have been up for that long...

Hikari was engaged in a conversation with the tiger, from what Shen could gather, something about nettles. He made a small clicking noise, signaling his presence.

Hikari rose quickly, as was custom. Women and children were not to eat at the same table with men, at least not men outside the family. Hikari bowed, and pulled Sao from her seat. Sao whined- until she noticed Shen, and a grin plastered itself across her face. All the same, she too bowed hastily.

Tigress, however, did not rise, although by tradition, she was supposed to. She simply slid sideways, making room for the peacock as she ate.

Shen did not take the offered seat, instead placing himself at the opposite side of the table, as far from the feline as possible.

Hikari gave a small start at this breach of tradition, but she said nothing, instead offering Shen some dumplings.

Shen accepted, eating eagerly. He was rather hungry, eating hardly anything yesterday.

"So, what took you so long to rise?" Tigress asked flatly, eyeing Shen from across her bowl, "I thought birds were supposed to get up early."

Shen gave her a small and sarcastic smile, and shook his head.

"A common misconception, actually, we are just as prone to oversleeping as other creatures. Like tigers."

Tigress nodded quietly. "Well played, peacock, well played. Although it's a dead lie about birds not rising early..."

Shen was silent. It was true, that since he had come to the Jade palace, everyone had risen earlier. This was probably due to his species irritating habit of cawing at the mornings, which no matter how hard Shen tried to repress, always seemed to pop out. And it was hard to sleep with a peacock cawing on the thin ceiling above you.

Shen continued to eat his dumplings, voicing his approval to Hikari, who smiled happily.

* * *

After he had eaten, he places the empty bowl in the sink, and proceeded to walk around in circles, waiting for Po to wake up. However, the panda showed no signs of appearing, and both he and Tigress were getting impatient.

"Where is he?" the peacock hissed, rattling his train, "Is he dead? Or in a coma?"

"No, he's on a boat," Tigress replied.

"A...boat?" Shen asked, raising his eyebrows, "How did he get on a boat?"

"A boat to the land of nod," Tigress said with a wry smile.

"Aahh," Shen breathed. He had fallen for that one...

"Well, if you don't mind, I want to take a short walk outside," Shen muttered, moving to the door, "Just to clear my mind. Get me if sleeping beauty finds his princess."

"Don't go far," Tigress instructed.

"I won't," Shen informed, walking out the door.

The weather was cool and crisp, hinting towards the oncoming winter. But it was still warm enough to be pleasant, and Shen took a deep breath. Taking a few steps forward, he suddenly cawed loudly, flapping his wings.

"CRREEEAAAWWW!" he screeched, then sighed, "Whoo... I needed that... Keeping in a caw surely isn't good for you."

"That was loud!" came a young voice from behind.

Shen whirled rapidly, and saw Sao standing behind him. A heated blush crept to his face.

"H-how long have you been standing there?"

"Not long, I just came out and heard you scream," the kitten replied, "Did you hurt yourself?"

Shen's blush increased. "No..." he puffed, and continued, "Kitten, it seems you are continually making mistakes about what I am doing. No, I did not hurt myself, just the same as I was not dancing last time..."

"Well, then what were you doing?" Sao asked curiously, "It sounded like a scream!"

"It wasn't," Shen hissed shortly, eyeing her, "It was a caw."

"A caw?" Sao raised her eyebrows, "What's a caw?"

Shen deflated, running his wing along his face. "Sao, don't you know anything? Birds sing, cats meow, peacocks caw. It's like a statement. It says... Well, why am I explaining this to you? You don't need to know!"

He turned his back on her, huffily.

"Well, I was only asking..." she moaned slightly, her face settling into a childish pout.

Then, she seemed to think of something, and her face became curious.

"Say, I thought you were a bird!"

Shen turned back to her quickly. "I am a bird? Why would you think that I wasn't!"

"Weell," the young cat replied, "You said that birds sing, and peacocks caw... If a peacock was bird, wouldn't it sing?"

Shen sighed. "Peacocks are special birds," he informed, speaking slowly and carefully, "They don't fly as well as most birds do, but they are prettier, with this... um... tail, and they. Aw instead of sing. Do you understand?"

Sao nodded. "Uh huh," she said, "Peacocks can't sing."

"Peacocks CAN sing," Shen groaned, "Just not as good as most birds."

"So what can peacocks do better than most birds?" she asked innocently, "They can't fly, they can't sing..."

"Sao, I did say this before, but peacocks can sing," Shen told her again, "But they do it differently. They do it with words, instead of sounds, like other birds do."

"Really?" Sao asked incredulously, putting her hands behind her back, "Can you show me?"

Shen drew back, horrified. "No!" he sputtered, "I wo- I can't- I can't just..."

"But I thought you said that peacocks could sing," Sao whined, confused.

"Look, Sao," Shen whispered, sending a furtive glance from side to side, and drawing closer to the kitten, "I can't be expected to simply burst out in song, for no reason. It's just not right..."

"But you caw-ed, for no apparent reason!" Sao pointed out brightly, "Is singing different?"

Shen sighed, and nodded. Then he looked back down at the kitten, and frowned.

"How did we get on singing, anyway?" he asked her, touching his chin, "And why were you out her in the first place?"

Sao said nothing, only sat there and stared at him.

Shen sighed again, noticing her rather hurt-looking expression.

"I-I... I'm sorry," he said offhandedly, as if apologizing was no big deal to him, "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. It wasn't your fault, so I apologize."

"I forgive you!" Sao replied quickly, her small teeth flashing in her smile.

"You do?" Shen asked, surprised, "T-that quickly?"

"Yeah!" Sao said, as if it were perfectly natrual, "That's what you're s'posed to do when someone says their sorry."

"If only everyone understood that..." Shen muttered harshly, under his breath.

The two just sat in silence for a while, just listening to the natrual noises, and shooting the occasional glance at each other.

It was Shen, surprisingly, who broke the silence.

"I kept that flower you gave me..." he told her quietly, "I still have it."

He did not think it worthwhile to mention the tremendous amount if symbolism in that flower, the empathy... And that when all seemed lost, a petal of that flower had provided the confidence that Shen had needed, to find his peace. At least temporarily.

"Really?" Sao asked, her ears perking up, "Do you have it with you?"

"No," Shen replied quietly, shaking his head, "I planted it in an old tower. Now it's more flower than tower."

"That's funny!" Sao exclaimed, sniggering a little at the inadvertent rhyme.

"That was an accident," Shen informed quickly, widening his eyes, "It wasn't supposed to rhyme..."

"Hey, guess what?" Sao said excitedly, as if she had just remembered something very important to tell him.

"Wha-..."

"My flowers FINALLY grew! They are really pretty!" she interrupted, her words coming out in a mashed tumble, so that Shen had to interpret carefully what she was saying.

"Do you want to see them?"

The peacock wasn't given any time to answer, as Sao grabbed his wing with surprising strength, and pulled him towards the small patch of ground that was her precious flower-garden.

And it really was beautiful, bursting with reds and oranges. Sao obviously spent a great deal of time on this. Of course, she could afford to, as she had nothing else to spend her time with. She was Japanese, thus, she was regarded with an alien strangeness, as if she was not a girl who cared, just like everyone else.

Shen frowned, noticing the similarities between him and this kitten...

"See!" the kitten was saying beneath him, "Mother says that winter is coming, and that they will die soon. So you have to enjoy them now."

Shen smiled slightly. He always did marvel at the simplicity of a child's viewpoint, which sometimes gave them wisdom to match the sages.

"It's...beautiful," he complimented softly, "Truly, it is. Much better than last time."

Sao suddenly drew silent.

Shen noticed this, and leaned down beside her.

"What's the matter? Sao, is something wrong?"

She looked up at him, and her eyes seemed to be searching him, questioning him.

"After you left, last time," Sao began, quietly, her eyes dropping, "We heard some things about you."

Shen started quietly, and began frantically formulating a plan of action, change the subject, anything!

"People said that you had ruined a city, and that you killed people," Sao continued, now dropping her ears, "They said that you were a murderer, who should be put in jail forever. Father said that- he told me that it was true..."

She looked up at him, small tears in the corners of her eyes. "I didn't believe him. They aren't true, are they? Say they aren't true!"

Shen sighed, frowned, and shook his head sadly. He knew what he should do...

But he also knew what he couldn't do. And they were the same.

This kitten believed in him, looked up to him, admired him, even. If he told her the truth, he would most likely lose all if that. There was no-one else who looked UP to him like this, and their never had been. He couldn't hurt her by telling the truth. He couldn't. He was weak.

"No, Sao," he said, slowly, stutteringly, "It's not true. Not-... Not a word."

There. He had done it. He had lied to a seven-year-old child, because he was afraid. He was weak, he was so weak... He couldn't stand up to a kitten, couldn't tell the truth to a friend. Those people back in Gongmen had been right. He was weak. He was a coward.

"I have to go, Sao..." he quavered haltingly, "I have to... Leave."

And with that, he wrenched from her grip, and glided away, leaving the kitten, confused and alone.

She turned to her flower garden, and sat down.

She was saddened by the peacock's sudden departure. Didn't he want to be around her? Why wasn't he happy that she hadn't believed all the rumors? Her eyes drifted over to her garden, still gay and merry. One little blossom bounced at her feet happily, unaffected by what had just happened.

Smelled like oranges.

* * *

_Author's note: Remember, the story is still only starting, so still slow. There will be some action in the next chapter._

_Oh, and I thought I'd say this, to guest: um, I'm not sure. You'you have to say more than 'dude'..._


	4. A stranger

Chapter Three

* * *

**Warning: this chapter contains some minor suggestive themes. I made them as minor as possible, but I had to put it in there. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

The pungent and mistakable scent wafted over the air, a mix of spices, clothes, dirty animals, and fine perfume.

It was an average and busy day in the overly prosperous city of Xou-Meing, a massive metropolis which dominated the countryside for miles around. The economic power it weilded was so great, that neighboring towns and villages didn't stand a chance, bought out before the new moon. It was extremely rich... at least in wealth. Xou-Meing had followed the same dark and sorrowful path of Sodom and Gomorrah, their wealth leading to the crumbling of the cities moral standards. It was not called 'The city of pleasure' for its lovely gardens alone.

A stranger was VERY welcome in this city... but the stranger probably, had he or she an ounce of conscience, would not welcome the city. It was a place for those who lived there, not for those who just arrived.

Simply by stepping into the city-boundaries, one could already feel the overwhelming atmosphere of sin and indulgence in the air, which seemed to have seeped it's way into the souls of it's denizens. It was hard to find a wholesome man or woman in the place...

But now, a stranger did indeed step into the city, her footsteps quiet and dignified, her carriage suggesting high birth.

It was painfully obvious that she was a stranger, as she had the audacity to walk down the city-street unescorted. A woman! Without an escort! Obviously, she must not be claimed...

The stranger strode discreetly down the street, looking from the left to the right, taking in her surroundings with avid interest. Indeed, all these sights and smells were so new to her... But the aura of this place was so very sinful! She could smell it... But of course, perhaps this place just smelled like that. It was hard to tell, she had never been here before. The smell was... irritating, to say the least.

A snowy feather, so white that it would have made snow look black by comparison, traveled to a slenderly curved beak, rubbing it to clear the asxphixiating odor.

This was not the place she had wanted to be. In fact, this was one of the very last places on her list of locations to visit. An unescorted woman, she had heard, was supposedly fair game. Bu surely, those rumors must have been over-exaggerated... Weren't they? It was hard to say... she felt like her knowledge had been messily gathered up and placed in a box, it was so much harder to find or use any of it now. And she could no longer think to talk!

But she needed directions, and there were no towns for miles.

"Get in quickly, then leave..." she muttered to herself softly, "You don't want to spend too much time here..."

As a matter of fact, she would much have preferred it if she did not have to spend any time here at all. Not in this city, not in this province, not in China... in fact, if she had the choice, she wouldn't have wanted to stay on this planet.

But she must do what needs to be done. If she did not act now, there would be no-where for ANYONE to hide...

She traversed the street quickly, searching for a place that looked moderately respectable, somewhere a lady would be safe. She could sense that someone was close, she could feel a dark presence, pressing on her soul...

Then, like a flashing light, or a breath of fresh wind, she detected the spirit of an ally nearby. She should find him. Whoever it was, would be much more likely to give her helpful instructions, and not... other things.

The friendly presence seemed to be coming from a tea-house, from which a smell of steam and leaved floated forth. She hesitated by the door, and slowly pushed it open, walking inside.

The interior was dingy and dark, and the stranger instantly felt that she had made a mistake.

The door slammed behind her, and she whirled. A golden pheasant walked inside, the swagger in his step and bouncy headcrest concealing a dark heart and soul. She could feel it. This pheasant had been following her, ever since she had stepped inside the border.

Inwardly, she squirmed fearfully, and began reaching around for that friendly aura. It was here, but she could not quite locate it exactly.

The pheasant took a few sideways steps towards her, and she regarded him carefully, rearing herself to her full height, at least twice the pheasant's.

"Good day," she commented calmly, "I trust that you have had a pleasant day?"

The pheasant lowered his head, half menacingly, half respectfully. This woman had an atmosphere which commanded respect, a gentle, silky respect, which made one think of purity, and perhaps, calm lakes.

"I have indeed," he replied richly, "But it could get better... Ah, you could make it better."

She raised her eyebrows, and stopped herself from taking a step back. Show fear, and that was weakness.

The smaller, golden bird inspected the female before him with his eyes. She certainly had the body, her ridiculously white feathers seemed extremely soft... he wanted to sink his wings in them, he wanted to... He continued to examine her in silence, while she regarded him indifferently. He could not identify her species, although he guessed peahen. But he had never seen a white peahen before...

She turned, and her long, LONG flowing train revealed itself behind her.

The pheasant blinked. That was gorgeous... It matched perfectly with the long, sweeping headcrest that adorned her head, and the amazingly intricate patterns on both were almost impossible to look away from... But her clothes... They were delicate, probably extremely expensive, but he thought...

"Excuse me," she said softly, interrupting his less-than-pure thoughts, "But I can't help noticing you, ah, staring at me."

He puffed up his head-crest showily, and tittered. "Anyone would, dearie. How 'bout we find a room?"

The stranger couldn't help but start backwards, at this other bird's perversion. As soon as she did so, the pheasant lunged at her, wings spread.

But this stranger proved to be far too fast, and span sideways, avoiding the pheasant as if he had been moving in slow-motion. The pheasant, frustrated, tried again, only to have the female avoid with such grace, that it seemed she was dancing, effortlessly.

"Stop moving!" the pheasant exclaimed, panting, "It won't hurt!"

"What's the matter?" someone jeered from the side, "Can't catch a wimpy bird?"

The female gasped, shocked at this. Here she was, battling for her safety, perhaps her life, and they thought it was FUNNY?!

"Stop this!" she exclaimed, "Have you not a shred of conscience? Do you even know who I am?"

"Don't know..." the pheasant hissed, "And don't car-.."

The pheasant suddenly collapsed, unconscious. The stranger looked up, surprised. An owl stood there, it's wings still held in an active position.

"Alright alright you, show's over," he said, coolly, yet threateningly, "Now get going."

The people in the tea-house complained, but did not argue. They began to file out.

"And someone remove this...garbage," the owl added, regarding the unconscious pheasant, "It's staining my decor."

He turned to the strange woman.

"I'm sorry about this, Ma'am," he spoke to the slightly panting stranger, in an elderly voice, "But it's over now. Do you need anything?"

The stranger bowed her head, respectfully. She detected a pure heart here, this was the friendly spirit that she had detected earlier.

"Thank you for assisting me, um..." what was his name? She should know, it was on the tip of her tounge... It was another lost paper, in the file of her mind. She really hated this...

"Danzi," the owl informed quietly, "My name is Lung Danzi. What brings a lady such as yourself to this part of China?"

The stranger rose, and smiled charmingly. "I wouldn't be here," she murmured to him, "But I fear I have gravely lost my way. I am seeking directions..."

"I cannot tell instructions, unless you tell me your destination," the owl pointed out, "But I warn you, geography was never one of my strong points."

"Very well," she laughed slightly, "I am seeking the Jade palace. Where is it?"

Lung Danzi's eyebrows raised. "The Jade palace? Why, everyone knows where that is, but how you managed to become so disoriented is beyond me," he told her incredulously, "The location you seek, is nearly on the other side of China, in the Valley of Peace!"

"The Valley of Peace?" the stranger touched a wing to her forehead, "As I said, I have gravely lost my way... I was sure it was in the Mountain of Tranquility... The names are so similar. Well, thank you, Lung Danzi."

She began fiddling with her clothes, as if she was reading herself for departure. What she was going to do to cross such a huge distance was beyond the owl, however.

"May the Creator bestow his blessing upon you," the stranger bowed, giving an uncustomary blessing, "And thank you again."

"Perhaps I can arrange something?" the owl inquired, "It will be a long journey..."

"Oh, there is no trouble, but it is kind of you to offer. Now... How do you people do this..." the last comment seemed to be addressed to herself, as she closed her eyes, and began ruffling and smoothing her feathers in sequence.

Lung Danzi watched in a nervous silence. What was she doing?

She seemed to sense his stare, and turned to him, her golden eyes flying open.

"I'm sorry, this must seem a tad bit odd," she apologized, then explained, "See, I'm trying to find my energy-source. Where I come from, it's like a muscle, and effortless to use, but here... Well, you call it the soul. To use one's soul requires skill here..."

"Ahh... Where you come from..." Danzi echoed, "Where is that? Oh, and I never got your name."

The lady smiled softly. "Ahhh, there it is. Anyway, where I come from, and who I am, is not important. But you could say... I'm an outlander."

She turned, and bowed again. "Well, I must be off. See you when our paths meet!"

Danzi watched her throw her head back, and leap into the sky. She soared upwards, upwards, till she was only a small white speck. Then...

SPHEEEW! She suddenly shot away, at the speed of light, her train behind her like the tail of a comet.

Danzi blinked, as the stream of light disappeared into the sky. It wasn't often that he was surprised...but this was one of those few times.

"Wow..."

* * *

The stranger shot through the air, her wings spread motionless, an explosive fireball of light behind her. She thought on her recent experience, and shuddered. This was all HIS work, she was sure of it. A perfect world, until HE came along... The state that the world had fallen into now, was truly appalling.

She thought of that pheasant... Although she was reasonably sure that she could have dealt with him by herself, she could never be too sure... This was not her home, after all, this was HIS.

She shook her head, focusing on what she was about to do.

This was her last hope. This was the world's last hope.

To the Jade Palace. To find... the legendary Dragon Warrior.

* * *

It was a very short time later, that she reached the Valley of Peace, and swooped around, circling the landscape. She landed just outside the Valley, near a small village on the rims.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, she realized that she was exhausted. She wasn't used to being tired, as she hardly ever did anything strenuous enough to make her weary.

There was a small group of houses, which looked like they had recently been attacked. She shook her head sadly.

"Tsk tsk... And I thought that the Valley was supposed to be well-defended..." she whispered. Then, she reminded herself that she was not officially in the Valley yet, but she was very close.

It was then that she detected another dark aura.

"Oh bother..." she breathed, and turned towards the direction...

A group of wolves, breathing heavily, approached her. They looked beaten, like they had just been in a fight.

The wolf looked her up and down. She was an odd one, all right... White, pure, and supremely beautiful, in the avian way.

"Hello," she addressed them, speaking with a grace that showed higher learning, "What misfortune befell you?"

"A panda befell us," the wolf in front grunted in response.

"Really?" she asked lightly, "However did that happen?"

"Nothing..." the wolf replied absently, "Listen, we were told by this... Guy, that we were to kill some lady that would most likely be here."

"Really?" the stranger gulped, "That is not a noble pursuit, you know..."

"Yeah, well, no 'noble pursuit' offered to pay us as much as this guy did," the wolf shot back, "Anyway, this guy didn't give us a description, he just said that we would 'know her when we see her'.

"Oh..." the lady whispered.

"And you know what?" the wolf asked, pushing his face close to hers.

"What?" she replied, as calm as possible. Oh drat, here we go again...

"I think I know you," the wolf finished, suddenly drawing a curved sword.

The stranger suddenly ran, flitting from side to side in the blink of an eye.

The first wolf was in pursuit a second later, keeping hard track on her. He just couldn't seem to gain on her, however...

Suddenly, a second wolf dropped from a roof, surprising the fleeing bird, who dodged beneath his grabbing hands.

The first wolf closed rapidly, bringing his weapon down quickly- and had it strike dirt, as the avian effortlessly flipped away.

All four wolves leapt at her simultaneously, pursuing her down an alley, and against a wall.

"Well, miss fancy-feet," the first wolf growled angrily, "No-where to run-"

Suddenly, all four wolves were dwarfed by the sudden unfurling of a massive and hypnotic train, towering a total of sixteen feet above them. The display caused them to forget everything else...

Just as suddenly as it appeared, it disappeared, and left the wolves blinking rapidly, trying to clear their vision of all the dancing phantom spots, just in time to see the end of the stranger's tail, disappearing around the corner.

"After her!" the first wolf yelled, "Don't let her get away!"

The stranger raced along the streets, streaking towards... Well, anywhere but here.

All at once, she found herself surrounded by those same four wolves, seemingly appearing out of no-where. They each positioned themselves on one corner of her body, boxing her in.

Abruptly, the first wolf stopped in front of her, forcing her to a screeching halt. She looked around frantically.

"Come now," she reasoned quickly, "This is pointless! Why do you follow this path?"

"Because it leads to money, that's why!" a wolf retorted.

"Money doesn't last long!" she exclaimed.

"The amount that we are getting will," the first wolf informed, then barked, "Get her!"

Instantly, she was in the air, leaping lightly over their heads, and racing away.

She was very skilled in evading, but she couldn't keep this up... She was already tired from her flight, and now, fatigue cast it's inescapable hand over her to claim her...

She was a lover, not a fighter. She literally could not fight. She could stay away for a long time, but not forever...

Her white head turned back, and saw the wolves in close pursuit. And this time, they were gaining. She wasn't going to escape this time, she was just too tired...

So this is how she was going to die? This was NOT how she imagined it at all. But she was not scared... Was she?

No, she was not scared. Truth be told, she was terrified. She couldn't think. She couldn't breathe. She was going to die, she was really going to die!

Another look back. The wolves were closer now...

A white shape swooped overhead, and she looked up in time to see a white bird, a peacock, glide overhead, sweeping down the streets, and over a row of houses.

Her heart leaped. She knew that bird, she knew him! As a matter of fact, her mind had been full of him, ever since she had met him...

Abruptly changing course, she, too, leapt over the rows of houses, and rushed after the white bird.

* * *

Shen was gliding, soothing his thoughts and loosing his tears, where no-one could ever see him. He had been gliding, ever since he had left Sao, his lie to her plaguing his mind.

Why couldn't he be stronger? A hero, maybe?

His thoughts were shattered by an echoing caw, unlike anything he had ever heard before.

He wobbled in midair suddenly, as a result of his lack of concentration. He turned his head in the direction of the sound, curious...

Another white bird, resembling a peacock with an oversized train, raced around on the ground behind him. She...uh... It, was trying to get into the air, but it's wings looked far too tired... He swooped back around, and examined it further. It was certainly a female, and a beautiful one at that...

"Shen, be quiet," he told himself sternly.

He watched the other bird below him, and couldn't help but think he had met her before...

A voice floated over the wind.

"Shen!" that was all.

That girl was calling his name. Nothing else, just his name.

But the voice... He recognized it, and all the pieces fell into place. It wasn't possible... But it was.

"Fenghuang?"

* * *

_Author's note: Yes, I did just put a Phoenix in this story. She will have a very large role in this one..._

_But, before we go any further, I want to kindly ask you to go and read thenamlessx's fic 'The legend of the Yin and the Yang'. I give her quite some credit for the inspiration of the structuring of this story. Although it's not for everyone, being in some places, quite violent, and in others, just a little bit explicitly romantic, most of the story is very well done. There's no other like it._

_I will be giving T__henamlessx more credit as the story unfolds._

_Please, read and review!_


	5. Urgency

Chapter Four

* * *

Fenghuang could not believe her good fortune. Here, she happens to meet the only mortal in the entire universe that would actually know her... She hoped.

Sending a furtive glance behind, she saw the wolves had dropped out of sight, probably due to the fact that they could not simply leap over houses as she.

But why was he gliding so very high? Her wings quailed at the thought of having to fly up there, and he was out of calling distance... So she did the only thing she could think of: she cawed.

A phoenix's caw is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful sounds that one can ever hear... But they were also quite loud.

Shen, high above, swerved around. Yes!

"Fenghuang?" she could hear him call down to her.

She didn't have the breath left to call back, so she mad frantic signaling motions with her wings, hoping he would understand.

Shen landed next to her, fluttering. This day just got stranger and stranger...

Fenghuang screeched to a halt, and began explaining... something quite raspily, continually looking over her shoulder. Shen didn't understand a word.

"What? I... I can't understand you," he told her carefully, his eyes flitting over the Phoenix in front of him. He had only ever met her once, but between then and now, she seemed to have changed. Here eyes were wider, her feathers rufflled, and her voice was unintelligible. Slowly it dawned on him. She was afraid of something, actually, she was terrified of something.

He didn't know what to do, however. Being confronted by a terrified phoenix is not normally on one's list of day-to day occupations.

Suddenly, he noticed four dark shapes, rounding the corner. He looked at them. Wolves. He looked back to Fenghuang.

"He-help me..." she gasped, unable to make the words form, "Just... Don't let them get me!"

Shen's eyes widened, and he pulled her aside, out of sight, and walked back into view.

The wolves bounded up to him, howled... then stopped.

"Hey..." one groaned, his tongue lolling out, "This is the wrong frilly white bird!"

"E-excuse...me?" Shen stammered, "I wouldn't call me... frilly."

"Pardon us, sir," the wolf who appeared to be the leader stepped forward, "Have you seen a white bird with a long tail, kinda looks like you, but all girly?"

Shen blinked. "If I had, I would never have been able to recognize her from that description," he said airily, "Have you a better one?"

"Well, you would know her if you saw her," the wolf pointed out.

"I haven't met anyone I don't know..." The peacock replied.

"Oh..." the wolf sighed, "Well then, sorry to bother you..."

The wolves bounded away, seeking their prey elsewhere.

Shen breathed out. "Phew... I wasn't sure if that would work..." It was a good thing that he knew their side of a wolf-brain quite well.

He walked back to the alley where he had stowed the Phoenix.

"He-hello?" he called uncertainly, "It's, ah, safe to come out... Where are you?"

"Behind you," came the soft, entrancing reply, "You walked past me."

Shen blushed. What was happening to his eyes, if he walked past the queen of birds without noticing?

Fenghuang looked much, much more dignified then she had about five minutes ago, almost to the point that Shen began to wonder if he hadn't only been imagining the absolute terror in her voice before. Now, she truly looked the part of Fenghuang, the sacred Phoenix, queen of Avia.

Shen found himself bowing, almost without intending to.

"I see you made good use of that second chance I gave you," she smiled wearily, "Quite fortunate for me."

Shen looked up, and half-stuttered.

How was one to address a Phoenix?

"T-thank you..."

She looked down, shifting her feet. Although she did not look it, she was exhausted. This... body was so entrapping, so very limiting... And no longer tireless.

"Excuse me, but..." Shen interposed quietly, "May I ask something?"

"Go ahead..." she sighed back, an airy and rapturous sigh.

"Why was the sacred Phoenix running down a dirty street, pursued by common wolves?" he inquired attentively, "I thought you were above that..."

"I am, normally," she laughed in reply, almost nervously, "But the entire matter is quite complex. I was actually en route to the Jade Palace, when I had the misfortune to be intercepted by those ruffians. I was quite tired after my flight..."

Shen touched his head with his wing. He was such an an uncultured fool! Here there was, an exhausted lady in front of him, seemingly about to faint, and he was chatting! Ugh!

"Perhaps you would like to sit down?" he asked, fidgeting inside his head for those etiquette lessons, so long ago. He never thought then about all the things they were used for...

"Here?" the phoenix replied, raising a perfectly curved eyebrow, "Not the most aesthetically pleasing place on earth..."

"No, not here," Shen replied, shaking his head rapidly, "You are going to the Jade Palace, and... I too, happen to returning to the Jade Palace. You should come with us... We should move now, anyway. Those wolves could return at any moment."

Fenghuang was surprised. "You? At the Jade Palace?"

"Yes, it is rather surprising, isn't it?" Shen informed mildly, "The Jade Palace is the closest thing to home for me now."

He really couldn't believe he was telling this to her. In fact, he couldn't believe that he was even talking to her...

"My, you have done well!" Fenghuang beamed, "I knew you would, Shen. You had to."

"Wha-" the peacock tried to decipher that statement, but gave up. She was a Phoenix, she was supposed to say things that didn't make any sense.

"We should move now," he stated instead, "Tigress is probably wondering where I am now, anyway. Ah, come, follow me..."

He peeked his head around the corner, and was pleased to see exactly zero wolves in sight. Stepping out furtively, nothing seemed to happen, so he walked down the street, back towards the household of Inazuma. Fenghuang flitted up alongside him, with a grace that made the peacock look almost like Po in comparison.

He sighed quietly. What was Fenghuang doing here? He was almost sure that she was supposed to stay in the spirit-realm... Not a frequenter of dirty streets.

But far more worryingly, she was now slightly behind him, and he could almost feel her golden eyes on the back of his head, almost... Examining him.

In other words, he was self-conscious, wondering what she thought of him.

He smiled to himself, trying to laugh it off. What did it matter what she thought of him? She was only the queen of birds... Let's just say, his attempt did not work.

But another thought was pressing on his mind. Those wolves. They had been actively hunting her, hunting a Phoenix. No-one in China would walk by a Phoenix, and not recognize her... They must have been mindful. And if they were willing to go after an immortal bird, he shuddered to think of what they would do to anyone who stood in their way...

Finally, the reached Inazuma' household, and Shen strode in with an urgency. They needed to leave, and leave fast, before those wolves caught on to the fact that they had been tricked. Shen refused to let anyone else get hurt, because someone wanted revenge on him, or anyone with him.

So deeply was he in his thoughts, that he had almost forgotten about his... accompaniment, and trooped in with her into the living area. Tigress was standing there, tapping her foot, while Po was lounging around on one of the chairs.

"Shen, where have you-" Tigress began, but Shen interrupted.

"We need to leave at once!" Shen exclaimed, then started back at Tigress's expression, "There are reasons for what I do, Master Tigress. We need to leave, now. We are endangering these people by staying here."

He looked around, to see how they would respond. They didn't. They were too busy staring at something behind him.

"Um, Shen..." Po asked quietly, "Who's your friend?"

Shen made a quiet 'umph' sound, and slapped his forehead. Why does he keep forgetting these pleasantaries?

"This, panda, is-"

"Someone who has traveled far to see you, Dragon Warrior," Fenghuang interrupted, "It is a pleasure."

"Hey there," the panda replied slovenly.

Shen galked inwardly, horrified at Po's manners. Didn't he know who he was talking to?

"Ah, Po..." Shen called quietly, "A word with you?"

"Eh, sure!" Po exclaimed, "Be right back, Miss-pretty-lady-fan!"

Shen grabbed Po by the arm, and tugged him away.

Tigress watched Shen seemingly try to hammer something into the panda's head. He looked really steamed about something, and perhaps, even a little embarrassed. Suddenly, the conversation in the corner stopped, as Po pointed to the female avian slowly, as if a realization had dawned on him. Shen nodded.

Po suddenly rushed back, and was instantly in front of the other bird, hopping from foot to foot.

"Ohmigosh! You're like the totally awesome and really graceful Phoenix! I can't believe I didn't recognize you!"

Shen watched, shocked. He should have kept his mouth shut.

"Indeed, Dragon Warrior," Fenghuang replied coolly, "I am a phoenix. My name, however, is Fenghuang."

"Fenghuang!" Po squealed, "As in, the only one to have ever completed the test of the three needles? AWESOME!"

"Not quite, Dragon Warrior," she smiled, "I invented the test."

"Ohhhh... Can I have your autograph?"

Fenghuang brought her head back, and eyed him. "You're sure that you are the Dragon Warrior?" she asked slowly, "Most of the Dragon Warriors have been quite formal..."

"It's Po," the panda corrected, "But I am totally the bodacious Dragon Warrior! I can't believe this is happening!"

Tigress turned to Shen. "You randomly walked outside, and found a phoenix?" she asked, incredulously, "Then what? Did you introduce yourself? Why did you bring her here?"

Shen shrugged. "She said she was traveling to the Jade Palace, so I... offered," he explained, "After all, one does not refuse the Queen of birds."

"Well, I'll give you that one, Shen," the feline's tail twitched, "But how did you meet her?"

"She ran after me, away from a group of..." Shen paused, remembering something, "...wolves... Oh dear, we have to get out of here! Tigress, there were wolves hunting the phoenix. What do you think they will do to someone found harboring her?"

"I'm not afraid of some wolves..." Tigress snarled back without thinking, "They can... Oh, you may have a point there."

"Inazuma, Hikari, and Sao cannot fight," Shen reminded, "We should not endanger them more than can be helped."

"I know..." Tigress's voice dropped an octave, "We should leave then. Right. Now."

"Agreed," Shen whispered back.

Tigress turned to the panda. "Po!" she said, quietly and calmly, "We must begin our journey back to the palace, right now."

Po understood from the tone, that arguments would not be tolerated. He simply stood up, and walked towards her.

Fenghuang seemed to understand, without being told anything.

* * *

Elsewhere, a group of four wolves walked around in circles, trying to find where they had gone wrong. Of course, they all knew. It was where they ran after the wrong bird...

Wait, that other white bird...

"Hey boss," one of the wolves murmured thoughtfully, "Wasn't that white bird one of the guys that beat us to a pulp yesterday?"

The first wolf whirled. "What?"

"Yah, he was one of the Kung Fu masters that came to fight us," the wolf continued.

"He was?" the first wolf shouted, "Why didn't you say so then?"

"It just come to me," the other wolf drawled, "Say, do you think that he might have tricked us?"

The first wolf slapped his paw to his snout. "Do you think? Of course he did! Quickly, backtrack, backtrack! Go back to where the peacock was, and pick up the scent from there! Hurry!"

The wolves howled, and raced down the road, dirt pounding beneath their feet.

* * *

Tigress skirted the house quickly, brushing some kind of dust into the ground with her feet.

"Buzz pepper," she explained, "It destroys any scent we might leave."

The group had said their goodbyes already, and now departed in rushed secrecy.

"Shen!" the feline continued, "Walk behind us. Use your train to brush out any tracks."

Shen blinked. A peacock's train could be used for many things, but that was one thing he had never thought of. Of course, he didn't refuse, that would be suicide.

"Po, go stand in front of Shen, make sure he does his job properly," Tigress instructed, "We don't want him to lead the wolves to us."

"Are you implying that I would turn traitor, Master Tigress?" Shen called from the rear, "I really thought you were above that."

"I watched you command an army of wolves, intending to destroy China," Tigress replied softly, almost wistfully, "The guest who climbs from the rail, thinks twice about returning to the roof."

Shen said nothing, only walked on in silence.

The group traveled relatively quickly, heading back to the Valley of Peace. However, to Fenghuang, it seemed they were traveling unbearably slowly. She, who could traverse the world in two wingbeats, was now trudging along at comparatively a snail's pace. But if there was anyone who knew the value of patience, it was her. She stifled her complaining mind, and just walked. She had a job to do, but there was no use explaining it until they reached the Jade Palace. It was quite complicated.

But other things pressed on her mind as well. The fact that her legs grew wearied after each step, that cuts and bruises caused pain... This world would take much to grow accustomed to.

It was only two hours later, when the sound of howling reached their ears, borne by the wind.

"Wolves!" Tigress exclaimed, her ears twitching, "Hurry!"

"It's no use, they have already picked up our scent!" Shen informed, leaping into the air, as he interpreted the wolf-calls, "We can never outrun them..."

"How many...are there?" Po panted, trying to keep pace.

"Seven," Fenghuang replied softly, "Seven wolves, and one tiger."

Tigress skidded to a halt. "A tiger?"

The phoenix nodded.

"They are overhauling us fast!" Po pointed out, "We should run faster!"

"We would, panda," Shen stated from behind, "But we are all keeping pace with you."

"Oh... Then I say, we turn and fight!" Po exclaimed suddenly, "Let's show those guys the thunder! Yeehaw!"

Po dissappeared from view abruptly.

"Did he just stop?" Tigress called back to Shen.

"Ughh... Yes, he did," Shen groaned incredulously, "That panda, doesn't he have ANY common sense?"

Shen banked, altering his flight-path to return to the panda. Behind him, Tigress did the same. Fenghuang... She vanished. Gone...

...Until she reappeared, standing next to Po.

Shen was angling himself to land- right where the Phoenix suddenly materialized. He twisted sideways with a squawk, earning himself a beakful of dirt for his pains.

Tigress reached the group, just as Shen stood up, and brushed himself off.

"Po!" the feline shouted harshly, "What were you thinking? You could have got us killed-"

"Tigress," Fenghuang instructed softly, "You have greater rivals right now than that panda. Concentrate on them first."

Tigress shook her head. The Phoenix was correct.

It was then that the first wolf reached them, leaping high, blade raised. Tigress leaped upwards, and repelled him with a kick to the chest.

Both mammals dropped down, the feline landing far more gracefully than the lupine.

The wolf lunged again, this time with it's blade held in front of it, in a more defensive stance. Tigress leaped over the wolf's head, and, before he could react, slammed her heel into the back of his head. The wolf crumpled.

But now, the whole group arrived, lunging simultaneously, forcing the Masters into a ring, with wolves all around.

"This doesn't look good..." Po whimpered.

"I noticed," Shen replied sarcastically, "But perhaps you could say something a bit more, useful, perhaps?"

A wolf in the ring snapped forward, with two of his comrades. One leaped high, the other ducked down low...

Shen swept his train under the low one, catapulting him into the air, where Tigress swung him into the leaping wolf. Both fell, cursing.

The third wolf punched at Po, who leaned backwards. The wolf grinned, and swung his hammer at the panda's legs, causing him to collapse with a cry of pain. The wolf raised his weapon, to finish him off- but Tigress saved the day, twisting the lupine's hammer from his paws, and pounding it on the lupine's armored shoulder, sending him flying backwards, back into the ring.

Fenghuang, meanwhile, was being grabbed at by almost all seven wolves at once... without much success. So far, they had failed to so much as lay a finger on her. She just moved too fast...

One wolf had enough. He whipped out his sword, and brought it down in a flashing arc towards her skull.

The Phoenix saw it coming, and moved her wing in the way- stopping the blade effortlessly, with two primary flight feathers.

The wolf was dumfounded- but not as dumfounded as he was, when Shen suddenly roundhouse kicked him back into the ring.

And then there was silence. Footsteps could be heard, and something pushed it's way into the ring. A white tiger.

"Hello everyone," he said softly, his fangs curving up in a smile, "Why don't you just hand over the Phoenix, and keep your lives?"

* * *

_Author's note: Thank you, anyone who reviewed! You are my heroes!_

_Anyway, there's something significant about that tiger... Who is he?_

_White tiger: There's one thing you haven't considered, Tigress._

_Tigress: What could that be, you despicable monster?_

_White tiger: Tigress... I am your father._

_Tigress: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOO!_

_Ahhh... That isn't true. Seriously. I'm just telling you, that was just a moment of randomness. It isn't true._


	6. No two ways

Chapter Five

The tiger was confident, everything about him spoke confidence. From the golden armor and sash that he wore, down to the enameled sword that he held, point down. In his left hand. Why should he not be? Before him, huddled back to back, were two white birds, one of which was completely useless when it came to fighting, a panda, and a tiger.

Hmm. Correction. A tigress. A pretty good-looking one at that, too... Perhaps he should turn on some of his 'charm'.

"Come now, there's no reason to be unreasonable," he continued, squinting, and sending Tigress a smile, "Just hand over the Phoenix."

"A Phoenix is not something that can simply be handed over, freak," Tigress snarled back, "And even if it was, we would never give her to you."

The white tiger's smile vanished, instantly.

"Now," he stated, this time far more viciously, "Wouldn't it be the 'heroic' thing to do, Fenghuang? Give yourself up, so that everyone else here, can live. Because" - all the wolves behind him drew their swords, and growled - "they certainly won't survive otherwise."

Fenghuang didn't blink. She was sensing something strange about this tiger, but she couldn't place her finger on what it was. Like the was a blanket, covering something else... His flow of Qi was far stronger than that of your average tiger...

"Who are you?" she asked, quietly.

"I am who I am," came the sneering reply, "But my name... My name is Zhung Chai."

Didn't ring a bell.

"Remember the name, all of you," he continued, casting a glance in the Masters direction, pointing his long blade at the Phoenix, "Because, if she does not give herself up, it will be the last one you will hear."

"My my, aren't we afraid?" Shen hissed back, mockingly, "Actually... No. We aren't."

"Be quiet, you!" the tiger roared, swishing his sword in the direction of the peacock, "This does not concern you."

"Fenghuang, queen of Avia, of the birds," Shen replied, "Last I checked, I was a bird."

Zhung growled. "So, you're a loyal subject? Protecting your queen?" he took a half-pace forward, and sneered, "My, how the mighty has fallen. I could not see you being a subject to anyone, Lord Shen."

"That ship has sunk," Shen replied coolly, "And unless you want to join it, I suggest you leave," - he fanned his train, casting a shadow over the tiger's face - "right now."

"Don't be so arrogant, bird!" Zhung cackled, "Lest we CUT you down to size- literally."

The wolves gathered behind the tiger, and started jeering at Shen, while Zhung went into a speech.

"You, peacock, are as an ant before me. My power is beyond your tiny comprehension! There are only two choices for rabble such as you. Bow down, or be blown away by the winds of my great destiny!" he leaned forward, so that his sword was inches from Shen' beak, "For my destiny is indeed great. I will be the most powerful tyrant that this world has ever seen!"

Shen stood, his train and head held high.

Which was a good thing, because what he was really doing with his train, was shielding the others from view. Hidden by the massive display, Po, Tigress, and Fenghuang, quietly slunk away, darting behind a bush, and moving from cover to cover. They were already some distance away...

"Now, that the choice has been laid out before you, peacock," Zhung continued, his sword still in Shen's face, "Which side do you choose? Submission or death? Choose quickly, for the hour of judgement is nigh!"

"I must choose...?" Shen whispered, his white head quivering.

"You must," came the reply.

"Then I choose THIS!" Shen grabbed the blade with his wings, and spooned his train beneath the tiger's feet, causing him to fall.

The tiny second of confusion, was all Shen needed to leap into the air, gliding away, towards Tigress and the others.

"After him!" Zhong exclaimed from the ground, "Kill them all!" he leapt to his feet, and the wolves leapt after him, racing towards the fleeing group.

* * *

"You should be warned," Fenghuang told Tigress, sprinting alongside her, "There was something odd about that tiger. I don't know what it-"

A arrow ptinged into a rock, near them.

"HUUAGH!" Po yelped, leaping sideways, "We should probably watch out for those!"

A flash of white dropped in front of them, as Shen landed lightly.

"Agreed, panda."

The first wolf, still wearing his cape, charged up to the group, overtaking them quickly, his pack close behind.

"Guys, no use running," Tigress shouted, "We have to fight them! DON'T let them surround you!"

"As you wish!" Po exclaimed, "YYEEE-HAWWW! Thundah!"

The first wolf slashed sideways, which the panda leaped backwards to avoid, while Tigress hammer punched him sideways. The wolf took the blow, and swung at the feline, while another wolf snapped at her back.

Shen landed on the wolf's muzzle, and delivered a crushing strike between his eyes. The wolf crumpled, only to have another take his place. Shen engaged that one as well, flashing his train confusingly, before leaping upwards, and dodging a punch. The wolf followed up with a kick, aimed towards the peacock's stomach, which forced Shen into a full split on the ground to avoid. The wolf, growing tired of punching and missing, drew back a little, to study his opponent. That was his downfall, as Shen swept his train beneath the wolf's feet, sending the lupine crashing downwards. A quick kick to the face, rendered the wolf unconscious.

Another wolf lunged at him- but was intercepted by Po, who grabbed the wolf by the tail, and slung him around, bashing him repeatedly against the ground.

"Stupid...panda..." the poor lupine groaned, before slumping to the ground, thoroughly unconscious.

Tigress, meanwhile, slid around like a missile, delivering fast blows and punches. One wolf went flying, then the next, then another...

The lead wolf suddenly slammed into her from behind, knocking her over, and raising his sword. The feline, thinking fast, swings her leg under the wolf's, bringing him down with her. The two grappled in the dirt for a while... But the wolf had an advantage. He had a knife.

Tigress realized this just in time, placing both paws on his wrist, immobilizing the hand that held the knife. Suddenly, an idea occurred to her, and she pivoted up, using the wolf's wrist for leverage, and brought her legs down with terrifying force, right on the back of his head.

The wolf yelped, and pulled away, before howling in anger. He saw RED, and he was going to kill whoever got in his path-

A mace, dropped by one of his pack-brothers, reached his eye, and he darted for it. Po got in the way... The wolf punched him in the stomach. Hard. But the only affect was that the fist bounced off. The wolf, confused, ducked Po's fist, and brought his own smashing into the panda's face. Po reeled backwards, seeing stars. The wolf followed up his blow by headbutting the panda backwards, slamming him on his back, and leaping over him.

His paws closed around the mace, and he swung it at the closest person- Shen.

Shen took the blow across his back, and was sent tumbling end over end, landing in a heap in the dirt. He looked up, to where the wolf was racing towards him, swinging the mace wildly, a feral growl on his face. Shen tried to rise, to move, but pain shot through his body. It felt like his back was broken.

Something snapped at the pain. The peacock looked at the wolf, with a ferocity matching that of the larger mammal's. His wing shot outwards-

The wolf shuddered to a stop, and looked at the peacock with an expression of utter astonishment... before collapsing backwards, three feather-shaped-knives in his throat.

Shen rose slowly, and regarded the fallen wolf. "Rest in peace, fool."

Behind him, Po and Tigress fought back-to-back, against the four remaining wolves. The wolf in front regarded them intently, and growled. He rushed forward, and delivered a stunning kick to Tigress's hip, and followed it up with a slam towards her face. She caught his fist, and twirled him around, slamming him into the ground, head-first. The fight was not over, though, as the old wolf kicked her in the chin, sending her back a few feet, giving him enough time to get to his feet.

Po rushed forward to help, but the other three wolves converged on him at once, and he was forced on the defensive, blocking the lupine's punches and kicks, before bringing his arm back in a swirl, and punching one away. Behind him, a wolf slashed sideways at his belly, but Po was just able to stop the blow by grabbing the sword by it's hilt, before crushing the wolf's face with his palm. The last wolf sliced at his legs, and he jumped heavily over the blade, pinning it with his weight. The wolf abandoned his sword, and brought out his knife with a snarl.

"You will never win, not in the end, panda!" he growled, "Evil will always triumph eventually!"

"Hey, that's my line!" Po retorted, "Just without the... Evil...thing... Oh, nevermind! Let the bashing begin!"

The wolf grinned readily, brandishing the knife directly towards Po's face. If the panda had not the luck to be an inch out of reach, he would have lost an eye. As it was, he managed to grab the wolf by his elbow, and twist him onto the ground, before sitting on him.

"Hah! Taste the defeat!" he cried.

The wolf only groaned.

Meanwhile, Tigress had it tougher. This wolf was blocking each and every one of her attacks, almost like he wasn't trying. She thought she saw an opening, and attempted a punch- but the wolf grabbed her outstretched arm, and held her still. Before she could react, he delivered a terrifying blow to her side with his arm, then followed it up with a hammer blow to the back of her neck. Tigress was bent double, with pain and pressure...

The wolf growled, and punched her to the ground. Thinking the battle over, he turned away from her, to engage Po.

But Tigress wasn't finished yet. All those years punching ironwood trees had made her unreasonably tough and resilient, enduring to the last. And everyone knows... Never turn your back on a tiger.

She leaped to her feet, and jumped up into the air, towards the wolf. Twisting her foot around, she slammed it into the wolf's face, sending him reeling back with a cry of pain.

She punched and kicked him repeatedly in the stomach, doubling him over, before two-handedly punching him away. He sprawled out on the ground, unmoving.

Zhung, some several yards away, watched his wolves fall over like ninepins.

"Ugh, do I have to do everything?" he said to himself angrily, "What was I thinking, hiring those imbeciles? Oh well, I guess I have to do everything... Myself!"

He leaped up into the air, unrealistically high, and roared.

The Masters turned their head suddenly-

And were each forced into a sprawl on the ground, avoiding a fireball which hurtled from the sky.

"Whoa!" Po exclaimed, "Where did that come from?""So that's what was strange about him," Fenghuang breathed, "He's channelling... He has power..."

Another fireball crashed down next to them.

"Split up!" Tigress yelled, "Hurry!"

They each raced away from each other, running for their lives.

Well, almost all of them. Shen still stood by the dead wolf, horrified. He had felt it, he had felt the savage nature well up inside of him. Despite the great moral distance he had come, all it had taken was a little pain... to transform him back into a murderer.

Zhung landed, and homed in on the nearest thing- Shen, standing there like a white flag. He brought his hands together, and more fire issued from them, straight towards the peacock.

Shen sighed, and bowed his head, in a mixture of sorrow, regret, and disgust. He felt heat pass over the top of his head-crest, and looked up quickly, just in time to see the white tiger bearing down on him. Shen screeched, and leapt over the tiger's head, skirting from side-to-side to avoid the fire that Zhung was flinging at him.

"We can't do this!" Tigress called to Po, some several yards away. A fireball whizzed overhead. The tiger bounded after the fleeing peacock, striking at him with his claws.

Shen flew upwards, out of reach of the claws... But that unnatural ability of fire could still haunt him. Zhung leaped up at him, just beneath his feet, and flung another fireball. Shen only barely managed to dodge, by furling his train, and dropping on the tiger's head. Zhung roared, and tried to shake him off, as they both plummeted towards the ground... Shen gained the advantage, using his train to steer the tiger head-first into the ground.

He leaped from the downed animal, and raced after the others.

Suddenly, Zhung materialized in front of Fenghuang, his claws, on fire, grabbing at her. She whirled backwards, away, and deflected a weak fireball with her train.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind, and she darted away from the tiger, her long feathers trailing behind her.

Zhung had eyes only for her. She was the reason he was here, after all. He brought his hands together.

"You can run, from me, Phoenix..." he muttered to himself, generating a fireball between his hands, and expanding it, "But you can't run from THIS!" he hurled the now-massive fireball at her, and laughed. There was no way she could dodge that...

Fenghuang turned towards the fireball, and suddenly, pushed her wings forward. An explosion of light came from her feathers, and the light and fire impacted each other.

When the smoke cleared... There was nothing. No Phoenix, no Tigress, no Po, and no Shen.

Zhung brought his paws to his head in disbelief.

"No!" he growled, "How could she- UGH!"

A smell invaded his rantings, and he looked around, curiously. It smelled like something burning. With horror, he realized it was his head. He had forgotten that his hands were on fire.

"AAAGGGHHHH!"

* * *

_Author's note: Enter the Mary-Suey special power device! Don't worry, I have placed it quite delicately into the story, so it won't make anyone overpowered._


	7. Arrival

Chapter Six

* * *

THUMP!

Fenghuang's teleport had not been entirely precise. Although it had brought them directly to the doors of the Jade Palace... It had brought them ten feet in the air. Not so bad, if you are a trained Kung Fu Master, though...

Unless a several hundred-pound panda had the misfortune to land on you.

"Hey, that wasn't so bad! WHIOO! Yah!" Po exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air, "Hey! Uh... Where's Shen?"

A muffled groan, coming from under Po's rear, gives them the answer.

"Get...off..." the poor peacock groaned.

"Oh, sorry!" Po exclaimed, leaping to his feet, "So sorry!

"PANDA!" Shen exclaimed angrily, puffing to his feet, "Next time you decide to use me as a seat, have the decency to put me out of my misery FIRST!"

"Well, it wasn't exactly all my fault," Po replied, crossing his arms, "I mean, I wouldn't have been there if your girlfriend over there-"

"Let me just stop you right there, panda," Shen hissed, interrupting Po's defense, "Fenghuang is already a married woman. Therefore, not my girlfriend. So, do not refer to her by such a vulgar term, if you please!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Po grinned, waving his hands in front of him, "I didn't know! And I meant like 'a female friend' not like a 'girlfriend' like that..."

"Well, just don't do it," Shen instructed, looking from side to side, "What if she were to hear you?"

"Are you two seriously discussing girlfriends now?" Tigress pushed in, her arms crossed, "Come on, we have to see Master Shifu."

"We weren't-" Shen began, then stopped and sighed. Why was it...

"Oh right, Master Shifu!" Po jumped, "He probably was like, so worried that we were late!"

"I blame you, panda," Shen said alongside.

"Wha- why me?" Po questioned whiningly, as the group made their way down the hall of the Jade Palace, "What for?"

"For anything that anyone blames me for," Shen replied, with what might be described as a smile on his beak.

"That should be easy enough," Tigress half-called, half-whispered back, "We pretty much all do that already."

"You use the Dragon Warrior as a scapegoat?" Fenghuang inquired softly, her eyebrows raising, "Why? Is it not better to take responsibility for your own actions?"

"Why?" Tigress responded, "Because, more often than not, it was his fault. Plus..." - she sent him a glare, but it could hardly be called harsh - "Once you get to know him, you see that he is so very easy to pin blame on... He actually takes it, most of the time."

"Really?" the phoenix mused softly, almost to herself, "So... The Dragon Warrior... He is, in your opinion, an honest creature?"

"No-one more so," the feline smiled, "That's the one thing that can be depended on with him. He couldn't lie to save his own skin..."

Fenghuang smiled. This was good. But there was one more question she had to ask, something very important...

"How does he, the Dragon Warrior..." she asked, almost hesitatingly, "How does he handle... Power? Has he ever had power?"

"I couldn't answer that for you," the feline replied, "The title of Dragon Warrior is quite prestigious... Only superseded by yours... Anyway, if you were to ask me... There's no-one I'd rather trust with power."

"That is trusting of you..." Fenghuang nodded, "But..." - she reached out, and stopped Tigress mid-step - "Are you sure? Has he ever been tested with the promise of power?"

Tigress turned away, and took a step. "Yes," she called back, over her shoulder, "Once, by an owl of the same name as you...he was offered the ability to have the most advanced Kung Fu in history..."

"What happened?" the phoenix questioned intently, as the group now turned a corner, heading towards the training hall.

"Po won... But he fooled us all, even Fenghuang, into thinking that he had given in... Then tricked her into a cage. He won."

"That Fenghuang offered great Kung Fu skill..." the white bird whispered, "But this one... offers power that makes that look like a child's toy. Can he hold against that, I wonder?"

Tigress heard this, and a questioning thought ran through her mind quickly. But she snuffed it out, for now, at least. Before them, dark and ominous, stood the simple wooden door to the training hall.

Tigress sighed. "We are so late..."

"Get ready for a lot of hurting..." Po whined.

"Why?" Fenghuang murmured, "Is your Master, harsh?"

"Harsh? No!" Shen fake-grinned, "He only makes stone look like flab... Strict, would describe him better."

"Thank you, Shen, for defending me," came an elderly voice from behind, "I was beginning to think that you did not think much of me."

Shen grinned nervously, and the others jumped, as Master Shifu walked forward, showing himself.

"You are late. I imagine that you must have some reasonable explanation?" the red panda continued, "If you do not... It would be better to remain silent."

"It was Po's fault!" Shen and Tigress both exclaimed together, "He wouldn't walk any further, and-"

Both suddenly realized that they were saying exactly the same thing together, and glared at each other awkwardly.

"S... Sorry, Master," Tigress continued, bowing, "But the Dragon Warrior was overcome with fatigue. We were forced to spend the night at the village..." Tigress trailed off, as she realized that Shifu was no longer paying attention to her. "Master?"

"Who is your guest?" he asked quietly.

Fenghuang stepped forward, answering the question herself.

"I, honorable Grandmaster Shifu, am Fenghuang, Queen of Avia. It is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance... Again."

Shifu' eyes widened, almost imperceptibly, and bowed. "Fenghuang! An honor for you to come to this place! This is a most rare pleasure..." he straightened up, and eyed his students, "To what do we owe the occasion of your arrival? My students have not been causing trouble...?"

Indeed, to Master Shifu, the magnitude of such trouble that would be required to summon the sacred Phoenix down from her heavenly chambers was so unimaginable, that he almost shrunk at her answer.

"Oh no, Shifu, it was not they that brought me, and they caused no trouble. Indeed, I should not have arrived at all, had they not conveniently been at the village," she sent a smile in Po's general direction, and he waved back, "But I did come for a matter concerning your students."

"Well, I assure you, we will do whatever we can to help..." Shifu responded quickly, at a loss of what else to say.

Fenghuang bowed. "Thank you... For now, however, I wish to clear my mind," she raised herself, "I am... Unaccustomed, to your world. I wish to walk around the palace grounds, in order to acclimate myself... Um, is that alright?"

"Certainly," came the answer, "You have permission to do as you please. This is, after all, a place of rest..."

Po giggled, very quietly. 'Rest' was the last thing that came to mind when he thought of the Palace. Shifu sent him a glare, the harshest he had yet given the panda. Obviously, he was feeling the need of perfection again, as he always did in the presence of important visitors. Whatever the case, it was effective, as Po hushed himself quickly.

"Carry on with whatever you ordinarily do, Grandmaster," Fenghuang said, smoothing herself, "I shall make myself invisible..."

And she did. Literally.

"Oops..." she murmured, reappearing, "That is not quite what I had in mind..."

She turned, and walked out quickly, almost as if she was embarrassed.

Shifu stood still for a few seconds, making sure she was fully gone, before whirling on Po.

"What were you thinking!?" he demanded, pointing his cane at the poor bear, "That is Yin, the sacred Phoenix! Could you not have given me a moment's warning, in order to make this place more... Presentable?"

"Hey! It wasn't like we had all that much warning either, Shen just brought her in!" Po yelped quickly, "And then, SHWA! We were like, slammed here! After a battle with tigers and wolves, and FIYAH!"

"I'm sorry, Po," Shifu seemed to calm himself down, "It is just that the Phoenix is a heavenly being. Although the dragon, her counterpart, can sometimes be seen roaming China, the Phoenix has never set foot in the mortal universe. This would make it her very first time. This is history, perhaps legends, in the making, and you did not give me any warning whatsoever!"

"Well, it's not like in all the legends they describe the state of the house... I mean, isn't it all about the dangers you face?" Po pointed out meekly, although his enthusiasm grew with every word, "Not the state that you go in, but the state that you RETURN! That, Shifu, is what, makes, a, LEGEND!"

He threw his fist in the air, and took a heroic and determined expression. Shifu, on the other hand, seemed unaffected.

"I doubt she came with any quest of significant danger, panda," he stated, placing his hands behind his back, "According to legend, the Phoenix is peaceful and loving creature, fleeing at the first sign of danger. If there was a danger that could have threatened her, I doubt she would have come herself. Her counterpart would have no doubt accompanied her."

"Master," Tigress interrupted respectfully, "We were attacked by mercenaries on the way back. They were specifically hunting the Phoenix."

Shifu turned to the feline, giving her his attention. "Continue, Tigress."

"Yes, Master," she replied, "Anyway, they were all wolves, of average dress and arms, but they were accompanied by a tiger. A white tiger. He had a most unusual ability..."

Tigress continued, although hesitatingly, as it had just occurred to her that this story sounded rather far fetched.

"...he... had an incredible extent of control over fire. He hurled balls of it at us, as we fought the wolves."

"That sounds interesting, Tigress," Shifu replied, stroking his beard, thoughtfully, "What became of this tiger?"

"I-I don't know, Master," came the truthful reply, "He hurled a fireball at the Phoenix, and she seemed to use the energy from the fire to teleport us somehow. That's the last thing that I saw of him."

"And it also explains our abrupt arrival at the Jade Palace," Shen added.

"In that case..." Shifu continued to stroke his beard, faster now, "I suppose we shall wait and see what she has in store for us... She mentioned that

she wanted to ask something of me. Do any of you know what it was?"

They all shook their heads. Fenghuang had been particularly mysterious over the purpose for her journey to the Jade Palace, dodging around the question when Shen had asked. Of course, everything about her was mysterious...

"Then, as I said before, we shall wait," Shifu finished, "Po, open those doors. Tell the rest of the Five to stop their training for now..."

As the panda rushed to comply, he heard the Grandmaster mutter, "When she comes back, at least she shall find this place in a proper state..."

Po pushed the training hall door open, where the rest of the Five were engaging in either training or sparring.

"Hey guys!" he called in, "Master Shifu wants you all!"

"Hey, look who's back!" came a wry voice.

"You bet, Crane!" Po winked, "But come on, you don't want to keep Shifu waiting!"

"Hello Po!" came the cheery voice of Viper, as she slithered past, "Have any fun while you were off?"

"Yeah, but I'll tell you about it later," came the reply.

"Alright then," she said, going past, "Don't forget."

Monkey and Mantis walked by in conversations with each other, sparing the panda only a "hey."

But all talk died down, as they lined up before the Grandmaster.

"We have a special guest, everyone, so I want this palace SPARKLING! Crane! The ceilings, Viper, the carpets, Mantis, corners, Monkey, Tigress, and Zeng, I want all the ornaments shining! Po, you get the outdoors, and I want it done well!"

"You got it, Master Shifu!" Po exclaimed, bowing.

"And that leaves..." Shifu thought, placing a hand on his chin, "Ah, how could I forget? The floors... Shen, you have the feather-duster, you do the floors."

"Bu... Ah.. Master, this is not a feather-duster!" Shen stuttered, gesturing to his train, before deflating, "Fiiiinnneee... Yes, master."

"Very good," Shifu replied, turning, "I shall oversee Po. If you need me, you know where to find me. Come, Po..."

The two pandas rushed out, closing the door behind them.

Crane was handed a damp towel by Zeng, and flew up to the ceiling of the palace, and began to polish the jade.

"Hmmm, thought I left janitorizing behind at Lee Da..." he muttered to himself, then called down, "Hey, was it just me, or did Shifu NOT tell us who was coming?"

"No, it wasn't you," Viper replied back, grunting a little, as she dragged a massive carpet towards the door, "But... From the way this is turning out... it might be the emperor."

"Close," Tigress informed, as she gently yet firmly brushed off each and every one of the palace's many priceless ornaments, "But not quite..."

"Who then?" Crane asked again, as he now began to clean the dragon statue over the moon pool, with quick and sure wingbeats, "The... Empress?"

Finishing the dragon with an expert finish, he then moved on to the Phoenix behind it, much smaller, but still present. It symbolized the quiet yet powerful presence of the wife, behind everything. Also... It was quite difficult to clean, and Crane was forced to perch on the dragon, and wipe the Phoenix with his wings.

"You should know, Master Crane," Shen grunted, zestily sweeping the floor, needless to say, not with his train, "After all, you are cleaning her..."

"What do you..." Crane began, then it dawned on him, as his eyes traveled to the Phoenix ornament that he was polishing, "You mean... Her? As in, actually her? The..the celestial phoenix, Fenghuang?"

"Yup," Tigress stated simply.

Crane's hat floated quietly to the floor.

* * *

Several hours and much hard work later, the palace was almost clean. The only thing left was the sword of heroes...

"I'm telling you man, I already used four cloths on that thing, and they all turned to rags!" Mantis whined, "I only have two arms, I'm not wiping it!"

"Yeah, but at least your arms will grow back!" Monkey quipped, "Ours will not. You do it."

"No! You can risk your own fingers, man!" the insect chattered, making a dash for the door.

"Ugh, you guys..." Crane muttered, picking up a last few bits lying around, "And here are the brave Masters Monkey and Mantis..."

"Hey, mr. confidence, why don't you do it then?" Mantis frowned, crossing his arms, "Because I certainly am NOT!"

"No worries!" Zeng, the palace janitor, waddled by, throwing a piece of cloth into a wastebin, "I already cleaned it."

"Wow, the brave goose outdoes three trained Masters," Tigress stated wryly, her arms crossed.

"Well, it doesn't really matter, as long as it gets done," Mantis replied defensively.

"Yeah, particularly considering who's coming," Monkey added, "Yin. Man, I hardly believe it. What's she like?"

"I wouldn't know," came the feline's reply, "She was very cryptic. But, if you want, you could always ask Shen. He was with her the most."

The Masters looked at each other uncomfortably. A conversation with the peacock was something they all tried to avoid.

"Eeh, I think I'll pass," Monkey shrugged.

Shen frowned silently, knowing full-well the reason for their discomfort. He was not entirely comfortable with himself, either. Although he tried, he knew, deep down, that he would never be rid of the burden of his crimes. He no longer plagued himself over this, but had come to accept it, with a kind of morbid resilience. All the same, he tried to do whatever possible in order to make up, at least partially, for his crimes. But he knew, that no matter what he did, it would never be good enough... He would never fully be clean.

This was the price of evil. Once in, never out... At least, that is what he had thought a year ago. Between then and now, Shen had discovered an amazing thing...

Redemption.

It was not some airy-fairy emotion, it was as real and as tangible as water. And it could be achieved.

But there were times... When Shen felt as if he had not progressed at all, when he thought it might as well just be useless. In fact, he still had times when he seemed to regress, having to remind himself that he was no longer a warlord.

And now, as he stood silently and unnoticed in a corner, leaning heavily on a broom, he felt more alone than he had for a long time. Knowing that the Masters did not trust him was one thing, and it hurt, but Shen could bear that. Hearing it from their mouths, was another thing entirely.

"Shen!" the sound of his name broke him from his thoughts. It was Viper, dragging a rug.

"I just moved this rug," she continued, "So if you could just sweep there... I'd appreciate it."

Shen didn't respond verbally, only striding to the dirty place on the floor, and proceeding to sweep it thoroughly. How far he had come. From dreaming of achieving the position of emperor, an army at his side, to sweeping floors at the Jade Palace.

Yet, in a meaning not measured in worth, or height, but in true value, redemption was worth far more than title. And redemption was found through small things... Like sweeping floors.

Moving the broom rapidly, he gathered all the dust into a small pile, and began pushing it into a dustpan, held by Zeng. Who knew that the Jade Palace was this dirty?

The work seemed to stretch on for hours- because it did. The Jade Palace was quite a large place...

Nevertheless, it was now finished. The pillars gleamed, the roof and ceiling shone, and the ornaments sparkled. There wasn't a speck of dust to be found anywhere.

Which was good, because now, Shifu inspected everything, running his fingers along wood to check for dust, looking under carpets to search for anything hidden... And all the time, saying nothing, only continuing to pace around in silence.

Finally, he turned and faced the sweating and nervous Masters.

"You have done very well," he said, to everyone's relief, "Now, get ready for our visitor. Has anyone seen any sign of her?"

"No, Master," each bowed.

"Very well. Keep your eyes out."

* * *

Fenghuang swirled her wings upwards, trailing them over her head, before gracefully looping them down and out, so that they lay out in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she quickly flowed into a sequence of twirls and twists, her agile body gyrating with the weird and intricate dance.

She did this because she enjoyed it, but also because it was a very good way to become accustomed to one's sense of gravity. She had not been lying when she had said she was unused to this world. Although she would not admit it, the phoenix was feeling a drag after every step. How could the mortals put up with this, on a day-to-day basis? It was unbearable, particularly to her, who had known freedom, and taken it for granted.

She flapped her wings, and floated motionless above the ground, perfectly still. Two minutes passed, then ten more seconds...

With a cry of pain, she collapsed back to the ground. It was so much harder to use one's Qi here! She could not use it to carry herself for more than three minutes. Obviously, she needed some practice.

Especially after what had happened today. That white tiger, Zhung Chai. He had come close to killing her. And that was hard to do, considering she was immortal. If she had not suddenly remembered how to manipulate energy... The Yang would have lost it's Yin.

That Yin/Yang philosophy...

She shook her head at it. It was close, in it's principle of two opposites combining to form a perfect balance...but so far away, otherwise.

For instance, how could they say that she, the Phoenix, the Yin, was the avatar of the cold and dark? Cold and dark, were two things she was not.

Cold...dark...those two words did sum up the weather right now though.

She tilted her head skyward, and was surprised to see the moon, floating still and tranquil, shining it's soft light down over earth.

But this did not bode well for the Phoenix. She had been out here for far too long. Another thing she must grow used to. Time.

Heat and cold, and the discomforts that both brought, were another thing. She ruffled her feathers, trapping in what heat she had left, and began to trudge back to the palace, her wings huddled in close to her body. She felt too chilly to fly. She should have worn something warmer.

Ahead of her, the outline of the palace loomed, mystical and ancient in the moonlight. Heading towards it, she considered briefly what she was going to tell the Masters. Her story. She could not put it off much longer...time would soon be of the essence.

It was a painful story for her...but one that must be told, lest they not understand the situation fully. For she doubted they would let her do what she had in mind otherwise.

The distance was short, and now the doors of the palace stood in front of her, ominous, but warm, and, if you stood a while, inviting.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the doors open, and strode in.

* * *

_Author's note: Yay, another chapter! Anyway, I wonder what will the phoenix want?_

_Oh, and I just went to a Chinese restaurant! And now am inspired with Chineseyness! There were dragons and Phoenixes everywhere..._


	8. Hospitality

Chapter Seven

* * *

The doors opened noiselessly, and the chill wind rushed in, contrasting with the warm and gentle aura of the phoenix. All eyes turned to her instantly, and she struggled back a blush. She should be used to stares! But sadly, she was not.

It was Crane, shy, unobtrusive, Crane, who walked forward first, removing his hat and bowing.

"Yin, we welcome you to the Jade Palace. Our home is yours."

"Th-thank you," came the reply, as Fenghuang closed the doors behind her, shutting out the cold, "I am gladdened by your hospitality..."

"Make yourself comfortable," Crane continued, "We are here to serve..."

"Speak for yourself," Monkey mumbled to himself quietly.

"Thank you... But I'm quite comfortable already, thank you though..." Fenghuang replied, then added, "Actually, there is one thing. Where is Master Shifu? I must speak with him."

"Master Shifu is meditating," Tigress came in, bowing quickly, "Do you want me to fetch him?"

"Oh no, don't interrupt him," the phoenix sighed, almost relieved, "I'll just wait. Do you... have anywhere to sit? I am regrettably not up to my usual strength..."

Everyone in the room jumped, and went to fetch a chair. Po guided the phoenix to a seat.

"Here's a chai... Where'd she go?" Monkey asked, confused, pulling a chair behind him.

"Already done it, guys," Po replied, an almost-smirk on his face, "She's in the dining room."

Tigress blanched. "Po! The dining room is not for formal guests! It's too casual... Master Shifu will kill me!"

She rushed past the panda, into the dining room- and found Fenghuang, sitting very comfortably in a wooden chair by the table. Her way of sitting made the simple chair look like a throne, proving the saying, 'royalty is on the inside, coming out'.

"How do you politely ask a phoenix to move?" Tigress asked Crane quietly, shifting uncomfortably on her feet.

"Hello everyone!" Fenghuang said cheerily, tilting her head sideways, "You...wouldn't happen to have something to eat, would you? I haven't eaten for two days..."

"Oh, right!" Po exclaimed, jumping to his feet, "Here, let me get you something!"

"Thank you, Dragon Warrior," the Phoenix sighed, "I am indebted."

"You are sure this is the sacred Phoenix?" Monkey whispered to Crane, "I always imagined her... Loftier, perhaps."

"Of course she is," Shen jutted in, unable to stay quiet on that matter, "Who else looked like that? Besides, I have seen her picture several times. It was everywhere in the tower of Sacred Flame."

"I'm sure you got a good look at her then," Monkey could not resist the dig, "Before you knocked it down."

Shen frowned. "Will I never be able to live that down?"

"Don't take it so seriously Shen," the primate reassured good-heartedly, "We have all done worse than knock down a building."

"No-one makes stupid jokes about anything you ever did though..." Shen pointed out coldly, "But me... I have to forever swallow the bile of my past mistakes."

"Oh come on, you," Monkey sighed, rolling his eyes, "We make jokes about it because it's so much more interesting to talk about a crumbling tower than a falling card house."

Shen mumbled something unintelligible, and turned away.

Po brought in a steaming bowl of noodles, and handed it to Fenghuang with a flourish. She took it gratefully, smelling it deliciously.

"Thank you, Dragon Warrior," Fenghuang smiled, "This smells lovely! Did you make it yourself?"

"Aah, yeah," Po replied bashfully, rubbing the back of his head, "It's nothing really. You should taste my dad's. It's way better!"

"The Dragon Warrior is a bear of many talents, I see," Fenghuang murmured, "Now, I must try these noodles..."

She brought her beak near the steaming bowl, and was about to dip it in- but abruptly changed her mind.

"Hmm, seems hot," she twittered to herself, "I believe I shall blow on it a little..."

She proceeded to do so, blowing the broth gently. Finally, the steam died down, and she raised a few noodles in her chopsticks. Slowly bringing her tounge along the length of a single noodle, her eyebrows raised, and she quickly placed the rest in her mouth.

"These taste every bit a good as they smell, Dragon Warrior," she exclaimed, after swallowing, "Best thing I've eaten on this world."

"Please, call me Po," the panda responded, with a waving gesture of his paw, "That's what all my, friends, call me."

"Very well, ah, Po, if you say so," came the laughing reply.

With that, the Phoenix and panda seemed to hit it off, and were soon chatting just as informally as you please.

"I don't believe it," Crane shook his head, "Po just seems to make friends with everybody."

"She's a lot more social than I imagined her," Mantis observed, "Prettier, too. Man, I know people who would kill for looks like those."

"Mantis!" Viper hissed in reprimand, "That is no way to speak of a lady behind her back!"

"That's not a proper way to speak of her, at all, in front or behind," Shen whispered icily, "Ah, I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself."

"Hey, I'd say it in front of her as well!" Mantis defended, holding his arms out in front of him, "I'm a guy, it's just the way I think!"

"No excuse," Shen retorted, "I don't find myself thinking anything of the sort. Stop giving males a bad name."

"Well, you might not think that way," the insect half-shouted back, becoming angry, "Because you might only be thinking about how good her head would look on a WALL!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Mantis wished he could suck them back in. A dead silence echoed around the room, and the poor insect found all eyes going between him and Shen, wondering at his reaction.

"Eeh... I shouldn't have said that..." Mantis shrunk under the words, "I wasn't...thinking..."

"The mantis has a point," Fenghuang stated, framing her head with her wings, "I WOULD make a lovely wall decoration, don't you think?"

Oh, Mantis suddenly wished he could DIE! Him and his big mouth! He was going to stick a pin in it. Then cover it in tape. Then eat some sticky dumplings. Then cover with more tape.

"If...If that is what you presume to-... to be running through my mind," Shen spoke, enunciating each word clearly and calmly, "Then... Then you must have a smaller mind than I thought. Even for such a tiny head."

"HEY! You take that back!" the insect chirped, but Shen didn't respond, instead whirling away into the far rooms of the palace.

"Smooth move, there, mr. Popular," Monkey grinned.

"Monkey?" Mantis asked, crossing his arms.

"Yes?" the primate replied.

"Shut up."

Fenghuang watched all this intently. "I take it," she began, "That your peacock friend still has some unsolved moral dilemmas? Do they still plague him?"

"Aah, yeah, but nothing too serious," Po said dismissively, "He still has trouble fitting in... You know, what with the whole 'I killed pandas' thing..."

"I understand. That crime will haunt him for the rest of his life," Fenghuang stated simply, "Indeed, it is almost unforgivable."

"Almost?" Tigress whispered to herself quietly, "It is unforgivable."

"Nay, Master Tigress," the Phoenix sighed, taking another few noodles in her chopsticks, "No crime is unforgivable. I have already forgiven him. I would think someone who values compassion as a necessary skill would have as well."

Tigress looked up quickly, surprised that she had been heard.

"So you did send him back, then?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Indeed I did, Master Tigress, but I was told to do so, I did not send him back solely because I had forgiven him," the avian replied.

"Then why?" Tigress growled softly, "Why, with all the good people that died, why send HIM back?"

Fenghuang paused a while, eating.

"Sometimes, it is the most unlikely people, who have the largest roles in the play of fate," Fenghuang said sagely, looking the feline in her eyes, "Take for example, your foster brother, Tai Lung."

"His memory is distasteful here," Tigress and Crane said together.

"Yes, but sometimes, it takes something horrible to make a lesson memorable," the Phoenix replied, "If Tai Lung had never had his rampage, do you think that Shifu would have searched, in a moment of loneliness, a certain orphanage? And if he had, do you think he would have taken it upon himself to 'tame a monster'?"

"He-he may have," Tigress stuttered, at a sudden loss for words.

"He may have indeed," Fenghuang repeated, taking a slow sip of tea.

Tigress said nothing trying to clear her mind. The phoenix had confused her, made her lose track of what she had originally been trying to say. Nevertheless, what had been said was true. In that moment, Tigress realized that it was not only the great acts of heroism that meld the world for the better. Fate is a fickle thing, and sometimes, it is the worst actions, that have the greatest results.

Tigress also remembered her original question.

"He may have, but, that doesn't answer my question," the feline stated, placing her paws on the table, "Why would you send SHEN back? What is HIS purpose?"

Crane brought his head back, and made 'shushing' motions with his wings. This was not in the decorum of actions, not how you were to speak to someone in her position!

Fenghuang seemed to ponder the question, before turning to Tigress directly.

"Tigress," she said somberly, "In all reality, I do not know."

The sound of footsteps, coming down the hall, prevented further conversation.

Shen turned the corner, re-entering the room.

"I would like to apologize for that... Childish display of anger, to everyone," he said, half-quaveringly, his head shaking, "Especially to Master Mantis. It was acted on in a moment of thoughtlessness, it will not... happen often."

The peacock moved over to a corner of the room, and stood in silence.

"It's OK!" Mantis shouted over to him, a little too loud, "No need to apologize!"

Shen did not reply. He would most certainly not have apologized, not normally, but... there was a guest here, so best behavior...

Fenghuang continued to eat, as she, Po, Shen, and the Furious Five waited for Master Shifu to finish meditating.

Finally, Tigress has enough. "I'm going to get him," she said cooly, rising from her seat, "He won't be happy that he kept his guest waiting."

She turned, and walked out the room.

"Brave girl..." Mantis whispered to himself. Shifu hated being interrupted...

* * *

Shifu, contrary to whatever the Five thought he was doing, was not meditating. He was walking restlessly back and forth in his room, making sure everything was in perfect order.

Of course, he didn't need to. The room had been cleaned five times.

He heard footsteps, and looked out. Tigress was walking past, heading towards the meditation rooms.

"Tigress?" he called to her, coming out of his room.

Tigress started, and whirled, before bowing quickly.

"Master, I was just going to find you," she began, "Our guest has arrived-"

"She has?" Shifu interrupted, "When? When did she arrive?"

"About an hour ago," Tigress answered, "Po took her to the dining room, and gave her something to eat."

"The dining room!? That is far too informal!" Shifu exclaimed, shaking his head, "And why was I not told?"

"Master, we assumed that you were meditating," Tigress replied, "And you gave instructions that we were not to interrup-..."

"Meditating!? How could I meditate, with the entire history of the Jade Palace at stake?" the red panda almost yelled, "Now take me there, Tigress!"

Not waiting for the feline, he hurried down the hall, towards the dining room.

How could they not tell him? Sometimes, he felt really disapointed in his students. Didn't they think he would want to know when the sacred phoenix dropped in? Really?

He stopped outside the dining room door, composing himself, before walking in calmly.

"Greetings, everyone," he began cordially, "Welcome, Yin, to the Jade Palace."

Fenghuang raised her eyebrows at the use of her title. Of course, that was decorum... she never thought much of that.

"Your students have already welcomed me," she smiled, rising from her seat, "It is indeed a pleasure."

"The pleasure is ours," Shifu replied, "Please, sit down."

The Phoenix did so, raising her head-crest uncomfortably.

"Please, you sit down as well," she asked, "It makes me somewhat... uncomfortable to be the only one sitting."

"Of course," Shifu responded, as Monkey pulled him out a seat. He sat down.

After a few minutes of rather awkward smalltalk, Shifu decided to get down to business.

"I understood that there was some matter that needed discussing?" he asked slowly, sensing his guest's discomfort on the subject, "If you do not wish to talk about it now..."

"No, no, I shall do what I must now, lest I become bogged by procrastination." came the phoenix's reply.

"Very well," Shifu responded, leaning back slightly in his chair, "Begin when you will."

He did not want to rush his guest. She was a very important person, after all.

"I will, Grandmaster," Fenghuang sighed, "Do not worry."

A few minutes passed around the table in silence, as Fenghuang continued to eat her noodles. When she had finally finished, she sat up, and took a deep breath.

"Grandmaster Shifu, I will get straight down to the point," she said, straightening her head-crest, "I wish to take the Dragon Warrior with me, to Mount Malaku, in Nepal."

And there was silence at the table.

* * *

_It was quiet at night, out in the mountains only just beyond the Valley of Peace. The stillness was lulling and peaceful._

_A small glint of fire shone in the dark. _

_White fur, striped with black, showed faintly in the dim light of the flame._

_Suddenly, the crackling of flames increased, as did the magnitude of the fire. The flames licked and twirled upwards with a roar, until it towered at face-level._

_The white animal flinched._

_A sound like wind echoed quietly through the fire. __And almost instantly, the flames took a form. A form, of which nothing was clear, save rows of razor-sharp teeth._

_"Ahhhhh..." the form in the fire breathed out, sending a small puff of flame in the animal's direction, "There you are. I trust that you have succeeded?"_

_The animal stood to the flames, his whiskered face standing out harshly in the orange light._

_"I-I..l have not, Master," he replied haltingly, fingering the hilt of his enameled sword, "I was within reach, but she evaded me, teleporting to someplace."_

_"Oh, so you failed? This is not what I expected, this is not what I asked for!" __the face in the flames roared._

_"You gave me no warning as to her abilities!" the white animal shouted back angrily, "I was unprepared! Let me find her again, and it will NOT be repeated."_

_"Excuses, Zhung Chai. Excuses which fall on deaf ears, I am afraid," the creature of fire hissed back, surprisingly cooly for something made of fire, "I expected you to use your own mind to accomplish_ the task. Now that _you have failed..."_

_"I have not failed yet, Master," Zhung snarled, "Give me another chance. It shall not happen again."_

_"Determination, Zhung," came the reply, "An admirable trait. However, it is without aim. Do you even know where Yin is now?"_

_The tiger looked down. "N-no," he admitted sourly, "But that is not my fault! I was left with no trace, she teleport-..."_

_"Silence!" the form of fire growled, "Where deduction fails, reason must suffice. There is only one place on earth where Yin would feel safe. Her presence here is no accident."_

_"And... Where would that be, Master?" Zhung asked slowly._

_"Surely you can see by yourself?" the flame-beast roared, "Or do you have even less intellect than I had thought?"_

_Zhung said nothing._

_"It appears to be so, then," the fiery creature sighed, "Think. Why land HERE? What is nearby?"_

_"Well... The Valley of Peace?" Zhung questioned, "That hardly seems the place for a Phoenix-"_

_"Excellent. Mark my words, you will find her in the Valley. Search, and find," the creature instructed, "The Yin will have fled to her Yang. Oh, and Zhung," the beast added, "Fo not fail me this time."_

_With that the flames leaped upwards, towards the tiger. Zhung raised his arms, and forced the fire back down with a yell, clenching his claws._

___And there was silence once more._

* * *

_Author's note: Who was this mysterious fire-beast? Why does Fenghaung want to take Po to Mount Malaku, which is like thousands of miles away?_

_Do not worry, dear reader, all will be explained in the very next chapter._

_Oh... And please review. Not to sound desperate or anything, but I LOVE reading your reviews!_


	9. A tale

Chapter Eight

* * *

"NEPAL?" Shifu nearly shouted, as the news finally sunk in, "Do you have any idea how far away that is?"

The distance was monumental. In order to reach Nepal, one would have to traverse the entirety of China, and then some.

"I do indeed," came the cool reply, "But it cannot be helped. I did not choose the location..."

"Yes, but Nepal?" Shifu groaned, "The walk alone could take YEARS!"

"Now, that's a bit of an overstatement, don't you think?" Fenghuang replied, with a nervous smile.

"That is not the point," Shifu replied, gripping his staff, "The point is, that the Dragon Warrior is sworn to protect the Valley of Peace, which he cannot do if he is traipsing about at the other side of the world!"

"Wait, so you want me to go with you, all the way to Nepal?" Po asked, incredulously, "WHOA! That is a seriously long way!"

"Do not worry, panda, you will not be going on this trip," Shifu stated dismissively, "I will not allow it."

Fenghuang sighed, deflating in her chair. "I fear you leave me no choice but to explain, Master Shifu," she said, touching a wing to her forehead. She had hoped it would not come to this, that she would not have to explain this sad and tragic (not to mention long,) tale.

"I am afraid so, Yin," Shifu replied flatly, "I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to simply walk out with one of my best students."

"As am I, Shifu," the phoenix said quietly, "I am sorry that you cannot take me by my word. Know, Grandmaster, that whatever I do, I do for the good of everyone."

Shifu stared downwards, almost shamefully. "Why must you take Po? Would anyone else do?"

"Nay, Grandmaster, it is the Dragon Warrior alone that can fulfill the task required," Fenghuang answered, sending a glance in the panda's general direction, "No-one else will do."

Shifu pondered this for a while, contemplating the meaning of her words. What did she mean? What had Po to do with this?"

"Surely, Oogway told you," the white avian queried, "The ultimate purpose of the Dragon Warrior?"

"The title of Dragon Warrior is a mystic and mysterious title, no-one is quite sure of the reason for such a title," Shifu replied, knitting his eyebrows, "As Po is the first in my lifetime, I-...

"Grandmaster, that is where you are in error," Fenghuang interrupted with a wry smile, "Oogway did indeed know the purpose for the Dragon Warrior."

"The Dragon Warrior is a guardian, a powerful weapon to defend the oppressed," Shifu listed, drawing on his knowledge from the old tortoise, "A shining pinnacle of what is good, and a beacon of hope to those that will see it."

Fenghuang listened in silence, waiting for the Grandmaster to finish talking. Her time came, and she smiled.

"All admirable and noble habits, Shifu, but they are all as the string on a kite, their purpose to hold down the true power that comes with the title."

"But, I thought there was no power," Po butted in, asking a question raptly, "You know, the Dragon Scroll was empty...so, how does that work?"

"The...Dragon Scroll...was empty?" Fenghuang asked in confusion, "No, no, it can't be... I have seen it myself..."

"Well, it wasn't quite empty, it still had a message, just no words," Po admitted.

"Ah, so you did decode it," Fenghuang said with a smile, "That was a safeguard. Only one who was pure of heart, would understand the subtle but powerful secret contained within. Yet, it was not the Dragon Scroll of which I spoke."

"What then?" Shifu questioned, resuming his place in the conversation.

"I speak of the reason there is a Dragon Warrior," Fenghuang answered mysteriously, "To keep the balance."

"What does that mean?" Po asked, confused.

"I shall explain all, my friends, I shall... But I am not sure quite where to start," the Phoenix sighed, "I suppose there is only one place. The beginning. The very beginning."

"Oohh, this sounds good!" Po exclaimed, placing his elbows on the table.

"Panda, please!" Shifu whispered sideways.

Fenghuang smiled. At least she was not the only one who felt uncomfortable...

"Well, Grandmaster, my tale begins...far back, behind everything. Before the dawn of time," she began, looking down at the table. She didn't want this to end up sounding like a story, but nothing more. People found it hard to take stories seriously.

"And, before the creation of this universe, the Creator appointed the... Well, in your language, he appointed the Zhu."

Zhu. The word meant 'column' in the Mandarin Chinese dialect.

"The Zhu were to symbolize the foundations of the world he was creating," Fenghuang continued, "There were three... Zhu Yin, Zhu Yang, and Zhu Yaan..."

"Yaan? Never heard of that one before," Shen remarked quietly to himself in the corner.

"You will know him better hereafter," the phoenix replied, locking him in her gaze. Shen looked away. Her eyes were hypnotic.

"Anyway," Fenghuang smiled quickly, her eyes going back to the table, "There were three. Of course... that was not the original plan. There were supposed to be four."

When she said that, everyone in the room could sense the bitterness, the sadness, in her voice.

"What happened to the fourth?" Mantis asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"The fourth... Zhu Yenn," Fenghuang responded, sending her eyes sweeping towards the direction of the insect, "He... Well, he simply never existed.

"The Creator does not make mistakes, and... and there are no accidents, so... there must have been a purpose... Whatever the case, he was to be the embodiment of water, the life giver, the sustainer, but also a destroyer... But this is irrelevant." She looked away from Mantis, and back to Grandmaster Shifu.

"The three... remaining Zhu, myself, Yang, and Yaan, we had to realign the balance, due to the lack of a Yenn. I, as Zhu Yin, was the embodiment of wind, the assistor, the air, the breath, having the ability to stir up the waters, expand the flames... Or to calm the waters, to extinguish the flame," Fenghuang stopped, and began to make circling motions with her wings on the table.

"AWEEESssoomme!" Po squealed, grinning at her, "So can you like, make a tornado with your wings? Or, or maybe create a super vortex of WIND!? Or..."

Po suddenly and inexplicably stopped his ravings. Perhaps because Shifu was sending him the worst of all death-glares.

Fenghuang smiled, but her smile this time... looked tired. "Dragon Warrior, I shall explain all in time."

"Oh, ok," Po replied meekly.

"Very well," she continued, looking up, "Zhu Yang... well, in originality, he was to be the face of the earth, the supporter, the steadfast, the resistant, and the independent. However, with there being no Yenn, he was also given the water-tear as well."

"Water tear?" Shen questioned quietly, "I don't believe that you explained what that was."

"Oh yes, silly me," Fenghuang grinned, a little bit embarrassed, "Well, you see, the power, be it over wind, water, earth, or fire, was given to us in the form of these... well, they looked like raindrops, but they glowed, or floated, or whatever, depending on element. We just called them 'tears' because they almost looked like one..." she sighed, her eyes lowering sadly, "Unfortunately, they proved to be aptly named. So much sorrow... so much, was bred from those tiny things..."

"Ah, I see," Shen nodded, "Go on?"

"Ah, well, yes, as I said," Fenghuang stuttered, trying to remember where she had been before she was interrupted. Gosh, she hated this world! It was like moving through treacle, even thought was so much slower!

Finally, she remembered. "Ah yes, as I said, the water-tear was given to Yang also. He... fearing that the power would corrupt him, requested... well, he was always a little odd at the time, he requested that he be allowed to grow another head."

"Another head?" Po asked, in surprise.

"Yes, another head. He wanted the extra head to have the control over water, so that he would not be tempted by the power, always having a voice of reason nearby. Quite a good Idea, when you think about it," Fenghuang smiled, and Viper stifled a giggle. It wasn't hard to see that she was fond of this Zhu Yang.

"Whatever the case," the Phoenix continued, "His wish was granted. Wanshi (that was his real name, in your language), was given a second head to control the water. The second head was named Long."

The Phoenix frowned, sighing deeply.

"Long had a different personality. He was reasonable, and reserved, as Wanshi had requested. The perfect guardian," she smiled again, her face resuming it's usual serene expression, "But... Oh well, heh, that doesn't matter. Anyway, that leaves Zhu Yaan. He was a dragon, like Yang, but he was different. He was white, white as molten metal, with wings like a bat's, golden talons like an eagle's. He had a long neck, with eyes like orbs of melted gold. He..."

Fenghuang faltered, her eyes flickered, before she closed them, and continued.

"... He was chosen to be the avatar of the flames, the restorer, the renewer, the giver of warmth But he was- He chose to look more upon the negative aspects of fire, the destroyer, the burner, the bringer of death. He... he was not always such. I feel he grew jealous of his brother..."

She trailed off, lapsing into silence, her breaths deep and shaky.

"So... what happened?" Po asked slowly, careful to tone his question sympathetically.

"Well, upon the ceremony, we were each given our titles, and the elements distributed. The remaining element, metal, the tool and device, was spread between all of us. But, the distribution of elements was not all that happened," Fenghuang said slowly, her words lined with caution," In... in that time, there was no such thing as gender. Everyone in the spiritual realm was neuter, save for the Creator. He was male. But, but a physical world cannot exist as such, and it was deemed that for such a world to work... that another gender would have to be created. Something that was neither neuter, nor male. The female. And as such, she would need an avatar, a symbol, if you will... Me."

"And...?" the panda asked, not quite getting what the phoenix was saying.

"But a female..." Fenghuang continued, "Cannot exist alone. For she is designed, engineered, to receive... love, affection... she needs a parter, a mate... A husband."

"Yeah... but... I still don't get it. What does that have to do with-..."

"Hush, panda, I am sure she will explain in time," Shifu interrupted, "Carry on, Yin."

"In the original plan, as I understood it, I, the avatar of the female, was to be joined to the avatar of the male. The avatar of the male, was to be one of my kind... another Phoenix..." Fenghuang shook her head, as if she was sad, but not quite, more like ...wistful, "But it was not to be. The other Phoenix, the original avatar of the male was the one who was to be called Zhu Yenn. But he never existed, so, another had to rise to take his place. I would have to choose from the remaining Zhu... who were both dragons. I-I... chose Yang. No, I chose Wanshi. It was he who held any spark of what could be deemed affection, for which I, as a female, craved unconsciously."

The others listened in silence, finding themselves drawn further and further into her tale. It was like a fairy tale which they would have listened to as children, only, if they were to believe the Phoenix before them, it was true.

"The wedding... well, it was quite nice... after all, a girl only gets one, doesn't she?" the Phoenix smiled briefly, her eyes fluttering softly, "The Creator became inspired, and seeing my white against Yang's black, created a creature of those two colors. The panda."

Fenghuang sent a look in Po's direction, who smiled self consciously back.

"The wedding was over, and the creation week was complete. Myself and Yang were at our residence, when Yaan dropped in, for a visit," she continued, trembling slightly, "Yang, of course, welcomed his brother inside. I-I could never understand what happened next."

"What?" Po asked tensely, leaning forward, "What happened?"

"I...I suppose that Yaan must have felt betrayed, perhaps feeling as a shadow behind his brother... he always did consider himself far stronger than his brother, perhaps he felt that I should have chosen him..." the Phoenix closed her eyes, continuing, "However he felt, his darkness showed itself at last, as Wanshi made a comment. It was nothing really... But Yaan... or Xundu, as was his name... Only I remember that. Whatever you call him, he blazed, and in a infinitesimal second, he had threw Yang against the wall, claws around Wanshi's neck. Yaan had surprise on his side, and I heard the neck crack..."

She faltered, panting as if she was reliving the experience.

"Y-Yaan had used the power of the fire-tear to kill his brother," she continued, at long last, "I was horrified. Chi Long, however, was less so, and more enraged. He blasted water into Yaan's face, and the dragon of fire pulled back. It was then that I remembered that I was still there, and that I had my abilities... I used the wind-tear, placing a stifling damper on Yaan's fire, while stirring Long's water to a raging frenzy... Still, it was a long battle. However, Yang triumphed up over Yaan, defeating him.

"The angels took him away... but as soon as he was away from me, and my asphyxiating aura, he blazed into new flame, and escaped, flying upwards in his rage."

She stopped, taking a deep breath. The room was in silence.

"He soared up, and in his blind rage, attacked the Creator," Fenghuang sighed, fiddling with her wingtips, "One point of a finger, was all it took. Yaan was hurled from the spiritual realm, and flung into the world of mortals. It was not one day before he had corrupted the entire primeval world."

"Eesh..." Po muttered, "So, let me guess, you want me to go stop this guy?"

"Y-yes, but not directly," the Phoenix replied, breathing out heavily, "All this happened thousands of years ago. While that was a catastrophe, it was secondary to me, as ashamed as I am to say it.. My husband... at least the part of him that I loved, was dead, beyond recovery. Spirits, when they die, only fade away into dust... I was left with Chi Long, and not even many memories. However, with the death of Wanshi... The earth-tear was left without a holder."

A small tear dropped unnoticed down Yin's beak, dropping gracefully to her feathers.

"It was decided, that as the mortals had been corrupted, those who strived to follow the path of light would need protection. The earth-tear, and the remaining essence of the dragon Wanshi, was placed within a subtle message in a scroll. The one who obtained this scroll... was to be called the Dragon Warrior, after the fallen creature," Fenghuang revealed dramatically, before darkening, "However, it seemed that Yaan had anticipated us. Whenever a character appeared, who's destiny would seem to lead it to becoming the Dragon Warrior, Yaan would remove that person before his or her destiny could bloom. And so, the earth-tear became lost in legend, for thousands of years, having no article to carry it. That was one half of Zhu Yang, lost."

"Who-" Po was about to say something, but Fenghuang was not finished, continuing her story with a somber tone.

"However, Yaan was not content with the fall of simply the earth-tear. He wanted them all, each one," she continued, closing her eyes tightly, "Long, or what was left of Zhu Yang, had become morbid because of the loss of his more cheerful brother. It was as if a dark cloud had fallen over him. Each day, he would fly out, over the spiritual realm, over the mortal world, or, on rare occasions, engage in long conversations with the Creator. It was on one of these trips, while Long was away, that Yaan committed another great act of villainy."

The room tensed in silent suspense, each person unconsciously leaning forward.

"It was only about fifty years ago, in your time, that it happened," Fenghuang finally continued, "He somehow gained access to the heavenly realm, streaking through it like a silent missile. He had come for his revenge on his brother, to fulfill the growing and ever long rivalry between him and Yang. However. When he reached our home, he found not his brother. I was the only one home, and he seized his chance. I had barely time to acknowledge his presence, before he slammed he into the floor. He felt I had wronged him... and he was going to make me suffer."

The phoenix gulped, and breathed out. "But that was not his only purpose for persecuting me... I, up to this point, had never felt pain... Well, I felt it, as his claws raked effortlessly across my chest...I had never felt anything so horrible in my life. I screamed... which gave him great pleasure..."

Fenghuang opened her eyes, and locked them with Shifu's, "He finally removed his claws from me, and I saw the reason for this torture. In his talon, was a tear of the purest white, now with flecks and splatters of my blood over it. The wind-tear. He tried to absorb it into himself, but he could not. It was pure, and had never been used for wrong. It could only be used by someone mirroring it's purity. Disgusted, he threw it, and we both watched it fall... through the spiritual realm, and down into the world of mortals. No-one knows where it now lies. Yaan is clever, I fear he may have found a way to corrupt the wind-tear, thus enabling him to absorb it..."

"What happened to you?" Po asked excitedly, then added, "How did you, like, survive?"

"Ahh, well, that is not very important," Fenghuang replied, "Yaan would have never let me live, and I blacked out... But... But Long had returned from his flight, and the two dragons fought. I woke, and dragged myself somewhere else, away from Yaan, away from the battle Later, Long came to me. He told me that the battle had been a draw, that the angels had come and forced the dragon of fire away. I-I was far too shocked to hear most of it. In the spiritual realm, you cannot die from injuries, so the bleeding wound in my side did not kill me, as I wished. The pain was overwhelming... and I had lost the wind-tear."

Her wings fingered her chest, as if remembering an ancient scar, some terrible pain.

"So... You aren't Zhu Yin anymore, then?" Po asked timidly.

"No, why wouldn't I be?" Fenghuang questioned.

"Well, you don't have the wind-tear anymore, soo..." Po explained, "Wouldn't that make you not a Zhu anymore?"

"No, but you would think that, wouldn't you?" the phoenix replied with a wry smile, "The titles we were given had nothing to do with our elements. For instance, if another Zhu was to appear, with another element tear, he would be called Yenn, whatever element he may have..." Fenghaug sighed, closing her eyes sadly, "I am still a Zhu. The last of them."

"Oh, ok then..." Po said quickly, then did a double-take, "Wait wait! Whoa, the last of them? Whatever happened to the other dragon... ah... Long?"

"That is what I was about to explain, but I was interrupted," Fenghuang replied, her eyebrows lowering, "Long... he was water. With the morbidity that was already on him, he... without the wind-tear to stir him up, he became drowsier and drowsier, finally... falling into turpor. Heaven is not a place of comas, so he descended. Down into a cavern, deep within the depths of Mount Malaku, where he sleeps now. And that" - she rose, and looked around fiercely - "is why I must have the Dragon Warrior accompany me to the mountain. He, containing the essence of Wanshi, may be able to wake Yang, where I have failed."

"Wait, if every Dragon Warrior was killed before their time," Tigress asked suddenly, speaking for the first time, "Why was Po not? How did he manage to survive?"

"He survived because he was a fluke, Master Tigress," the avian responded, "Even we did not predict that Po would become the Dragon Warrior. He is the first ever. This chance may never come again. To pass it up, would be to abandon the world."

_"Hmmm..."_ Shen thought to himself wryly, _"Perhaps I should be thanked... Heh, better not say that out loud."_

"So, can I like, make giant meteors with my FISTS?! Or, or, can I create earthquakes with my-"

"Nay, panda," Fenghuang replied with a charming smile, "As a safeguard on the power of the earth-tear, it only fully activates within a mortal, when he is in the presence of all the other Zhu. Yes, that includes Yaan... However, it will partially activate more and more, with every other Zhu present. So now, with me here, you should feel tougher, more steadfast, and stronger."

"Cool..." Po moaned quietly.

"Indeed," the phoenix smiled, turning to Shifu, "Now, Grandmaster, that I have explained my tale, have you at least considered my quest?"

Shifu sighed, thinking it over. This sounded urgent, however... He wasn't sure if he could just say goodbye to the panda like that...

"I shall meditate on it," he promised, "Now, if you will excuse me..."

"I do," Fenghuang said quietly.

"Then I shall seek some solitude, and think this over. Goodnight, everyone."

With that, he walked out, leaving the Five, Po, Shen and Fenghuang alone together.

The phoenix sighed. Telling her tale had brought back all those memories, some of them pleasant, others not. She had really brushed over most of the tale, really, the whole thing was so very long... and so very heart-wrenching. Now, after telling the story, she felt utterly alone. She was the only Phoenix to have ever existed... the other, had never come to be. After spending an eternity in the spirit-realm, as the only female, she finally finds that there is someone who can love her as she was meant to be loved...

Enough. To dwell on the sorrows of the past... is to forget one's future. Happiness is an additude, not an emotion. It must be maintained.

Maintain it she would, as she always had.

"I knew she would have an awesome quest!" Po's exclamatory voice brought her from her thoughts.

"Awesome?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, "Panda, I am sending, no, requesting, that you accompany me on a journey, for a reason that could very well end in your death!"

"I know right, AWESOME!" Po whined excitedly, "It wouldn't be that much fun, without any EVIL!"

Fenghuang shook her head in surprised amusement. Mortals. Either they were really brave, or really stupid.

* * *

Shifu sat quietly, a multitude of thoughts running through his mind. He was always one to sit and ponder things, not ever rushing into a decision, not if he could help it.

There was a massive decision ahead of him now. Shifu may or may not have realized it fully, but the fate of the balanced universe rested literally on his shoulders.

So now he sat and thought.

And thought.

And thought.

* * *

_Author's note: Yeah, again, full credit goes to ThenamelessX for the name 'Yenn', although I used it in a completely different context than she, but she should still be mentioned. Some of the inspiration (not much, but it still helped) came from her story 'The legend of the Yin and the Yang', so credit for that too._

_And, now we know the reason for Fenghuang's journey! I hope you liked her backstory. This chapter is quite important to the story, so please remember it. We will be going over the Phoenix's past in the form of flashbacks, being more detailed, in the future, but this is the only time it will be laid out like this._

_That said, thanks for reading! Please review! I mean it, even if you aren't registered, you can still leave guest reviews... I find it a little discouraging to see fifty views, but only two reviews._


	10. Horror

Chapter Nine

* * *

The answer. What was the answer?

It was obvious. Why could the red panda not see it as well?

Fenghuang rubbed her temples gingerly, shaking her perfectly formed head. Her head-crest was flat, and her comb-like tuft of feathers on her beak were ruffled. Anxiety had cast it's net over her like moonlight, and she had fallen into it's clutches quite easily.

However, it was no groundless anxiety. Yaan, her nightmare, was on the move. She felt it in her bones. He was regrouping strength and power from his defeats, but far faster than last time. The tiger, Zhung Chai, proved it. That was no mercenary, Yaan had given the tiger some of his own power, extending his range, increasing his will. It also showed that the dragon was hiring or enslaving minions...

She sighed, unable to grasp by what twisted reason anyone would willingly serve the wicked creature.

Could they not see how wrong it was? Had Yaan corrupted the mortals to the point that they rushed into the open arms of their corruptor?

The state that the mortal world was in now, was horrifying. Fenghuang, who had seen civilization at it's zenith, seen the gloriously perfect world that had been intended, could only weep.

But the time for sorrow was not now. Yaan was on the move. The knowledge did nothing to help her, however. The questions that it raised were now pressing upon her mind, questions that she had no answer for. Where would he send his first hammer-strike? In what form would it come?

Closing her eyes, she spent a few minutes in silent prayer, washing her troubles away, at least for now.

* * *

"What do you think? Do you suppose the Grandmaster will permit your journey?" Shen questioned attentively, "I, personally think he should not..."

Po trudged back to his room, walking next to the peacock in silence. His mind was full of the Phoenix's quest as well, but he thought of it differently. The tale that she had spun sounded just like something his wild imagination would have cooked up.

"You realize, panda, that her request is quite a dangerous one..." Shen continued, "If the journey itself does not kill you, other things might. That tiger..."

"Oh, him?" Po asked quickly, interrupting the peacock, "Well, I suppose that we could just sneak past him...you know, my stealth mode is legendary."

"Is it?" Shen raised an eyebrow, "I never thought you were the stealthy type, Po."

"Yeah, Tigress said that it was the most unique thing she had ever seen," came the panda's reply, turning to face Shen, thus walking backwards.

"Well, perhaps I shall see it someday..." the peacock mused mildly.

"Yeah, you mean 'wouldn't see it', because it's so sneaky," Po grinned, "I used it to sneak to your tower, in Gongmen."

Shen's eyebrows knotted. "Weren't you caught that time?"

"Yea-y-yeah, but the, the getting captured was also part of my, eh, plot, to eh, get inside," Po stuttered, "I used it to sneak inside the factory, too, you know, I knocked out two wolves and his behind em-"

"I caught you then as well, Po," Shen smirked, "Just before I, er, shot you through a wall."

"Eh, wasn't your fault," Po stated dismissively, "You were crazy at the time."

Shen mumbled something, shaking his head quietly.

"Anyhow, panda," he started again, looking up, "I was talking, before we got side-tracked, about that tiger. He was hunting Yin, wouldn't he also want to hurt you? Simply by being with her, you place yourself in danger."

Po seemed to consider this, before responding.

"You know what I would like to know?" he asked, with a wistful frown on his chubby face, "How did he manage to shoot fire? Must be like, such a useful thing to have..."

Shen brought a wing to his face with a groan. "Panda, do you take nothing seriously? Fire BURNS! It... It..." he looked down to his feet, covered in grey, ashy scars, given to him, so long ago, "It scars, panda... Scars don't heal. And, fat is flammable." with that last statement, he fixed the panda in his red glare, eying him.

"Heh, Shen, I'll deal with it!" came the reply from the bear, as he now turned from the peacock, pacing cheerily towards his door, "Don't worry."

Po closed his door abruptly in Shen's face, leaving the bird alone in the dark.

Shen stared at the closed door, seething angrily. "Fine!" he whispered to the door, as venomous as possible, "Get yourself killed, panda! See if I care!"

The door gave no answer, standing silently, rebutting Shen's declaration as effectively as if it had spoke. Shen whirled from the entrance, and stormed down the hall towards his own room, angry thoughts running through his head. His door greeted his eyes, and he flung it aside wildly, enjoying the loud 'BANG' immensely.

"Stupid panda! Stupid, stupid, STUPID panda!" he almost shouted, keeping in mind that the rooms were made of paper, and that he was bound to be heard if he made too much noise.

"Why doesn't he ever think?" Shen continued his heated rant, pacing hurriedly back and forth, "He's going to get himself killed. He's going to meet that tiger, and he is going to burn like an oil drum! Aargh..." the peacock ground to a halt, panting quickly, his feathers ruffled. He shook his head, and sat down slowly.

It had been a very long day, and, although he didn't realize it, Shen was exhausted. He could not sleep, however... He could not even keep his eyes closed for any length.

This was useless. Groaning a little, Shen got to his feet, and continued to pace, slower this time, around and around, in circles. Soon, he found a rhythm, and his body moved as if by itself, walking round and around, in continuous circles, far into the night...

* * *

Fire, burning, shining... immortal. Fire will never die... as long as it is fed.

The flames fed now, crackling as they wrapped around rooftops. The Valley was on fire, as sparks flew swiftly from house to house, hastening the inexorable advance of the inferno.

The fire, running in streaks down the roads, cut off fleeing villagers, trapping them inside the blaze. Their screams of pain, their dying gasps, went unheard, drowned out by the roaring fire in the night.

Shifu raced down the stairs, horrified. Desperately, he forced his way to the village, but walls of flickering heat confronted him, forcing him to a stop.

Crane. He must get Crane. With his wings, he could get in, save SOME lives, anyone!

The aged Grandmaster turned quickly, his lungs aching from the inhalation of the smoke. The stairs. He must reach the stairs...

Finally, his racing feet carried him to the foot of the mountain, the Jade Palace untouchable, high above. The red panda was brave, but his heart quailed at the thought of the lives lost while he climbed those steps.

Taking a deep breath, he began, step after step after step-

He looked up again, and screeched to a halt. There, standing on the five-hundredth step, stood a white tiger, gleaming sword unsheathed in hand. His other paw was held to the sky, orange lightning passing between it and the clouds above. A bolt of fire came from the clouds, setting flames to the already burning village.

With a cry of anger, Shifu raced up the stairs, and leaped into an aerial kick on the tiger's side. The tiger did not spare him a glance, deflecting the attack with his sword. Shifu, Oogway's staff in hand, pinned the sword, and kicked the tiger sideways. The lightning stopped, and the tiger turned it's glowing eyes to the Grandmaster at last.

"It hurts, doesn't it, Shifu!?" the tiger growled, bringing the sword upwards with a flourish, "To watch everyone down there, burn? I bet you wish you were down there now! Well, that wish can be granted!"

Shifu did something he had never done before. He snarled, with animal ferocity, and rushed the tiger, swinging the staff in a hammer blow to the feline's knee, then twirling the staff effortlessly, stabbed the tiger in his golden-armored chest. The feline gasped, and drew back with a growl.

"You seem to be worthy of an adversary, Shifu!" the tiger yelled, showing his fangs, "There are not many, for the great Zhung Chai!"

With that, Zhung leaped into the air, holding his sword with both hands, and sliced it downwards towards Shifu. The Grandmaster caught the blade in the forked end of his staff, stopping the slice, but the tiger used the momentum of his feet to send a powerful kick to Shifu's face. Absorbing the force of the blow, Shifu grabbed the outstretched foot, sending the tiger sprawling on his back. The Grandmaster did not give the tiger a chance to recover, leaping into the air, and pinning Zhung by his neck, using the forked end of Oogway's staff to put a throttle hold on the feline.

"There is no word for the pain you will suffer for this!" Shifu yelled in Zhung's face, his eyes raging with angry fire.

"You feel the flames, Shifu!" Zhung replied with a chuckle, "You already feel them inside! They burn you already! Now, they burn you.. From without!"

Zhung brought his paws together, and a beam of flame sent the Grandmaster hurtling upwards, landing hard. Shifu gasped in pain, as his hip, shattered from his blow from Tai Lung, took the full force of the impact. He grunted, standing unsteadily.

Zhung laughed, and sent another beam of fire at the red panda, to turn him to a pile of burning ashes.

Shifu saw the arrow-like tip of the beam, coming at his face.

He closed his eyes, and made a circling motion with his foot...

At the last possible second, he vaulted up on his staff, twirling above the beam, then twisted around in mid-air, bringing the staff down in a terrific clout on Zhung's face. The tiger fell back, stunned... but was forced to defend himself, as Shifu landed, delivering strike after strike after kick, each executed with deadly precision.

Zhung drew back a step, and unsheathed his sword with a tremendous roar. Shifu lunged, and the two exchanged blows, wisps of fire sparking freely, each time the sword came into contact with the staff.

Shifu stabbed forward, hoping to hit the tiger in his stomach, only to have Zhung parry quickly. The Grandmaster twirled the staff in his fingers, confusing the feline, and landed a blow to his side. Zhung groaned, then snarled... he reached out with his paw, and caught the staff, yanking it from Shifu with tremendous force. Shifu, unprotected, dodged blow after blow from the sword, waiting for a chance.

Finally, he got one, as Zhung brough his sword down with terrible force. Shifu leaped backwards, and the blade embedded itself in thson tone stairs. Shifu then ran up the flat of the blade, delivering a kick to Zhung's face, which sent the tiger hurtling upwards. Shifu leaped upwards after him, and delivered a second, spinning kick with his right leg, and upwards kick with his left, then finishing with a horrendous blow to the tiger's hip with both feet.

Both animals dropped, Shifu landing on his feet, and the tiger landing on his side.

The Grandmaster gasped, panting, his eyes turning back to the Valley, now almost completely ablaze. He staggered, horrified at the destruction. All those people... His people, ones he had sworn to protect, gone... He turned his head, as Zhung attempted to stand...

Shifu rushed forward, bloodlust in his normally calm eyes. Zhung, seeing the enraged Master, tried desperately to stand... he began groping frantically, for anything...

Shifu, as he ran, picked up Oogway's staff, lying fallen where the tiger had thrown it. He leaped into the air, bringing the staff over his head...

he was going to splatter that tiger's brains, all over the stairs.

Zhung, watching the Grandmaster come down like a meteor, winced. His flailing hands finally found something, and he brought it up in front of him quickly...

Shifu, enraged, saw Zhung grasp his sword desperately, and hold it up. A sickening thud, and Shifu's eyes widened... and he fell backwards, toppling to his side, with Zhung's curved blade impaled in his chest.

The tiger, gasping, rose slowly and painfully to his feet, sending the dying Grandmaster a triumphant look. He raised both paws to the sky, and yelled loudly.

Shifu's vision began to fade around the edges, but he still saw clearly. The flames that had engulfed the city, now began to tower upward, a pillar shooting into the atmosphere. It looked like an inverted tornado, it's bright orange pinnacle twisting weirdly in the air.

The Grandmaster gasped, a red liquid trailing down the corners of his mouth, and he began to cough up blood...

His fingers twitched uselessly around the blade, stabbed deep into his chest, but his arms seemed drained of all strength. He could only lie helplessly, watching the final demise of the valley he held dear.

Suddenly, a roar shattered the air, and there came a dragon, rising from the summit of the flames. It's wings filled the sky, and it's tail was long and trailing, like a ribbon of white flame. The span of it's wings matched the width of the valley, and they created two huge cyclones as they flapped, bearing the dragon high above. Seven backwards-pointing horns framed the back of his head, and his scales were the color of the hottest of fire.

The flames of the burning valley moved up to greet the dragon, who raised his wings in triumph, throwing back his head, and roaring at the moon, flame spouting forcefully from his mouth.

Shifu yelled, as the dragon suddenly brought his wings down, crashing them on the Valley, utterly destroying it, sending bits of rubble flying...

* * *

"NOOOOOOOoooooo!"

The shriek, sounding like the last scream of a dying man, echoed through the halls of the Jade Palace, normally silent and serene. The jade muffled the sound, the wood distorted it, till, by the time it reached the ears of the sleeping Five, it was simply another eerie sound of the night.

But one heard it, one who could not sleep...

* * *

Shifu lay on his back, drenched in in liquid. His body twitched uncontrollably, his breath, what was left of it, coming in gasps, nothing even.

His hands moved to his chest, and with a gasp of surprise- found it was intact. There was no blade in it.

The Grandmaster collapsed back, his breathing ragged with relief and shock. He was still in the meditation room, trying to find the answer to the problem posed to him by Yin, or Zhu Yin, whichever was more proper. So it was just a nightmare. What a horrible nightmare!

Footsteps, cautiously echoing down the hall, coming towards the room, brought Shifu to his feet in a flash. He moved into a somewhat shaky fighting stance, and just waited. The footsteps continued to echo. Whoever it was, was just outside the door...

Shifu's already frayed nerves could not stand this any longer. He raced to the door, and threw it open. A flash of white greeted his eyes, and he yelled, striking the other creature with a knife-handed blow without thinking.

The other creature yelled and drew back, groaning slightly.

"Master?! Wha- why would you do that?" came it's voice, one Shifu recognized, to his relief.

"Shen? what are you doing here?" Shifu questioned intently, his eyes and mind still a little wild.

"Master, I heard a scream, and came to investigate..." Shen explained, eyeing the red panda strangely, "Master, are you... alright?"

"No, peacock, I am not," the grandmaster answered truthfully, "I-I just experienced a nightmare, the likes of which I have never before encountered in my life."

Shen seemed surprised.

"A nightmare, Master?" he asked, his face almost looking comical.

"Yes, a terrible, terrible nightmare," Shifu sighed, composing himself, "It was awful. The Valley was in flame- the Valley!"

Shifu suddenly raced to the window, and began peering out as if he was almost afraid of what he might see. Shen walked slower behind.

Shifu groaned in relief. The Valley was still there, as peacefully as always, the full winter moon hanging frostily in the sky above.

The grandmaster turned back to Shen, and sighed.

"I apologize for waking you up, Shen," he stated quietly, nodding to the peacock, "You may return to your room now."

"Master, I was not asleep," Shen replied respectfully, "You know, I never thought that you would have nightmares..."

"This was no ordinary nightmare, peacock!" Shifu rebutted quickly, "It was unimaginably real..."

He explained the whole dream to Shen, who listened quietly. Shen was no newcomer to horrible dreams, he used to suffer from them quite frequently. But one thing that was always consistent with those dreams... Was that they were surreal. This one was clear-cut, precise...

"Master, perhaps the universe is trying to tell you something... something about this quest of Yin's?"

"That thought occured to me as well, peacock," Shifu responded, sitting, "At first, I thought that it must mean not for me to send Po away, so that the Valley will be better protected... but what would that accomplish in the end? This dragon... it..." Shifu kept talking, as if something was being revealed to him as he spoke, "The dragon must be destroyed. Shen, talking to you has cleared my mind."

"Why... Thank you, Master..."

"Yes, I know now what must be done."

* * *

_Author's note: Did I scare you? Probably not. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! It was fun to write, as well._


	11. Confirmed

Chapter Ten

* * *

The morning was actually quite dreary, dark clouds having blown in during the night. The sky, even some sounds seemed muted, casting a rather gloomy pallor over the Valley of Peace.

Shen, his normally red eyes even redder than usual, blinked repeatedly, trying to clear the fog of drowsiness that seemed to be clutching him with all it's might. He had not slept at all during the night, disquieted over the morning's events. According to Shifu, it had been Shen that had tipped the balance, clearing the Grandmaster's mind as to what must be done.

The peacock cursed himself silently for that. The thought that he had a prominent part in the sending of two people to their deaths, sickened him. Particularly when they were both people he rather admired.

Shen did not really know what it was to worry over someone in this way, normally locking his heart away from any chance of hurt. Having finally brought his heart and emotions out into the world, left him pained, wishing that he still had his caskets of steel to hide in once more. Of course, he didn't really want that.

Fenghuang... She was a personal heroine of his, supposedly the royal peacock clan's great benefactor, also their ruler. She was probably the only female Shen counted as absent from the 'Feminine inferiority' that he considered natural in women. As a youngster, he had been taught the virtue if the Phoenix... but had never regarded it any more than a myth. His experience, over a year ago, when she had given him the grace to return to life, had changed all that. He respected her greatly. But... she was tangent, able to be hurt...

She was an immortal bird. Could she be killed? She had seemed to think so, running up to him, no breath but to gasp out his one-syllable name... Perhaps she was afraid of pain.

Hmmf... The white peacock chuckled, thinking how odd it was that the sacred phoenix had something in common with him, a lower-than-dirt former murderer and warlord.

But... augh! Why, WHY!? She could be hurt, probably not easily... Shen had never seen a Phoenix fight. He wondered if they were even capable of fighting... but Po, now he could be hurt as well. Shen, although he refused to admit it, harbored a massive amount of respect for the panda. He was compassionate, kind, rather understanding... and unfathomably loyal. However, Shen would not trust him in a fight, still considering him, a 'fat panda'. Despite the fact that this fat panda had beaten the stuffing out of him in a fight. Furthermore... he was a friend.

Shen didn't have many friends. Po, well, he was the one who made living in the Jade Palace bearable for the troubled peacock, otherwise... in the least, it just felt like he was generally unwelcomed. Po always made some kind of effort to break the ice, some kind of welcome...

If the panda left, that would leave Shen alone in the palace with Tigress.

He shuddered darkly, clutching the window-sill in front of him. That feline could make others seem invisible. Whenever he and she linked eyes, it seemed as if they were the only two in the room, that all others were nonexistent, and if they were there, then they sat in hushed silence, holding their breath for what was to come.

He shook his head slowly. He was so tired... He ruffled his feathers repeatedly, attempting to rouse himself. It worked a little, so he walked to the door of his room, and pushed it hesitatingly open. The sound of soft rustling greeted his ears, and he turned curiously to look, both wings on the doorframe.

It was Yin. She had been pacing this hall quietly for some time, perturbed over her inability to sleep. She couldn't figure out what she was supposed to do, and now, after three days with no sleep, she felt extremely drowsy. Spirits do not sleep, she was unaccustomed to the process of falling asleep. This was supposed to be easy! But still, her thoughts kept drifting off to Yaan and Yang, and sleep would avoid her yet again.

So now, after a night of unsuccessfully trying to sleep, she now paced, trying to keep herself awake. Oh, this was so frustrating!

Shen watched her pace in silence, pondering a thought in his head. Deciding on a course of action, he walked resolutely down the hall, towards the Phoenix. He approached her from behind, making her aware of his presence with a greeting.

She started, twirling around with a surprised cry, and accidentally swinging her head into his face.

"Ouch!" he yelped, drawing back half a step, "Why do I keep surprising you people? I'm white! One would think I would be easy to spot!"

"Heh, my apologies," Fenghuang replied tiredly, rubbing the side of her head, "You startled me, I-I didn't see you there."

"It is perfectly alright, your majesty," Shen stated dismissively, using her title for other birds, "Just... please try to miss my eyes next time..."

"I apologize again, Shen," Fenghuang responded absently, her eyes drifting lazily over the peacock's face, "Are you alright, my child? You look like you haven't slept all night.

"You are an observation genius, Yin," Shen affirmed, rubbing his eye discreetly, "I have indeed slept absolutely none at all last night. What about you? You look as if you haven't slept for three."

The Phoenix looked down at herself quickly, searching her feathers.

"How did you know?" she asked quickly, bringing her gaze back from her feathers, to the peacock in front of her, "Is it my feathers? Are they- they aren't messy, are they?"

Shen blinked. No, her feathers were not messy. As far as order goes, they were immaculate.

"No," he answered truthfully, "Your feathers are fine, no, it's your eyes. They look tired... Worried, are we?"

"That is truth, Shen, indeed, I have been so stressed, ever since I came here," Fenghuang blinked, rubbing one eye tiredly, "The concept of sleep is a new one to me. I find the idea of shutting my mind off, to be altogether disturbing."

Shen said nothing, considering that. He had never thought about it that way before...

"What about you?"

"What?" Shen asked, looking down, back to the Phoenix. She was sitting casually on the floor now, her back against the wall, and her train wrapped around her feet.

"What made you so exhausted?" Fenghuang clarified, looking up, "Why couldn't you sleep?"

"Ah, yes," Shen mumbled, leaning down a little, "That's why I am here. I was worried, about this journey of yours..."

Fenghuang stared up at him intently, asking him a silent question with her eyes.

"Well, I wanted to ask you, how, how dangerous will this... Quest, be?" Shen continued, returning her stare, "What dangers do you expect to face?"

"Grave ones," came the Phoenix's simplistic reply, "Yaan has moved much in recent times. He has few threats. I doubt he would be so blind as to allow an attempt on the one way that could threaten him to go unheeded. I do not know exactly what we will face, but I am sure that we will meet with danger at least once."

Shen straightened up, emitting a long, groaning sign. This was exactly the answer he did not want. Shadowy enemies, uncertain dilemmas... Oh brother.

"Does that bother you?" Yin asked softly, "Do you... worry for us? That is strange, as you are not coming..."

"Pfff, it DOES bother me!" the peacock cried, bringing his head low, "I cannot sleep, I can't think! I can't stand the thought of..." he sighed, deflating sadly, and sat down next to Fenghuang.

"It does bother me, Yin. I worry for us, for what will happen in the panda's absence. I worry for the panda, he's... difficult, and I don't think he could stand a long journey. Particularly a dangerous one... And I worry for..."

Shen trailed off awkwardly, stopping himself from voicing his last opinion.

Fenghuang smiled lightly. She had already guessed what the peacock was going to say, and it warmed her heart.

"Shen, you worry for me, too?" she asked teasingly, placing the tip of a feather on the end of Shen's beak, "That's sweet! But I'll be fine. It has to be done, Shen."

Shen frowned, blushing slightly. "I suppose. It's the panda that bothers me..."

"I thought you hated him," the phoenix pointed out with a smile. Shen said nothing, shaking his head.

"Po, he's... strange," Shen muttered, "He gets himself in trouble quickly. He does worry me, Yin. You... ah, I suppose you would be fine. After all" - he looked her in the eyes, a slight smile playing on his beak - "you are immortal. They cannot kill you." emphasis was placed on the word 'you'.

Fenghuang darkened, her eyes dropping. "You would think that, wouldn't you?"

"Hmmm?" Shen questioned, confused.

Fenghuang didn't answer for the longest time, finding the designs on her tail suddenly fascinating.

Shen stood up, turning to leave. The time was growing late, it was almost time for the gong to sound. It was almost time to caw as well... something he didn't want to suddenly do in Yin's face.

Yin rose with him, surprising the peacock. She moved forward gracefully, placing her wingtips on his shoulder, halting his movement.

Shen turned and faced her, about to talk- but was stopped short at the sight of her eyes. Bleeding. Tearful. Almost grieved.

"Nay, Shen," she murmured softly, "You are wrong."

Shen cocked his head inquisitively, as if to say, 'huh?'

"I am no more an immortal than you, peacock," Fenghuang explained finally and clearly, her eyes downcast.

"But, but..." Shen stuttered, shocked at this revelation, "Y-you are a Phoenix! You are THE Phoenix! The sacred queen of birds! H-how can you not be immortal?"

The Phoenix cast her head sadly, blinking rapidly. "I-I had to trade... my immortality in order to come to your world. Without the wind tear, I cannot transcend worlds... I cannot. To come here, required a great sacrifice. I had to, it... it was the only way." she looked up, her eyes melting holes in the peacock's somewhat frosty demeanor.

"I am a mortal. A true mortal. All the pains, all the sorrows... all the joys, if there are any," she continued, her voice progressively breaking down, as she herself became more and more distraught, "I CAN die, I can be hurt... And... I can sin. I can never re-enter the spiritual realm..."

"You mean," Shen questioned clarifyingly, "That you are condemned here? You cannot leave?"

"No!" came the almost screaming reply, as the Phoenix finally broke down into tears, "I can NEVER leave! I am trapped here in this dull, dingy, horrible world!"

She sighed, and deflated, leaning suddenly on the peacock, her body shaking heavily.

"I can never go home, Shen, even if I do succeed. But it had to be done. I had to do it, or else... or else nothing would ever happen. I'm sorry. I lost my temper..."

"Alright..." Shen breathed softly, "You sacrificed immortality..." now he felt small. How could he even think of preventing this journey, when this bird in front of him had given up so much to accomplish it?

"I exiled myself from my home..." Fenghuang moaned, "That's what bothers me... Even should I succeed, should the world be saved... It will not be saved for me."

Shen nodded along. He understood, on a small scale, what it was to know that you will never be able to return to your home.

"It's alright, Yin," Shen said awkwardly, attempting to comfort the distressed bird. He was really not good at this...

"Being mortal is not really all that bad..." he began softly, "I'm sure you will get used to it, in time..."

Shen got the irritating feeling that he wasn't really helping anything by opening his mouth. 'Get used to it...' pathetic. Comforting women never was his thing. In fact, he preferred himself as far away from females as possible. Peahens found his white coloring extremely unattractive... If not completely repulsive. Well, most did...

He blinked, shaking from his thoughts of his previous failed engagement. He found that Fenghuang was using him as a pillow, crying into his fuzzy white feathers. He let her, keeping his mouth shut.

Finally, the Phoenix stepped back, drying her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered gratefully, gently stroking the end of her beak, "I'm sorry for being overly emotional... I feel so much better now, though..."

"No trouble," Shen smiled, a little tiredly, "It isn't every day that the sacred Phoenix decides to use one as a comforter, your majesty."

He turned, walking away slowly, towards the window. Reaching it, he looked back hesitatingly at Fenghuang. She smiled slowly, turning and walking majestically away down the hall, smiling to herself as she did so. Suddenly she whirled, facing the peacock again.

"Shen!?" she called quietly, as Shen now sat perched on the windowsill, poised to leap.

"What is it?" he asked, turning around halway, eyeing Fenghuang with a look of curious confusion.

"Please," the phoenix pleaded, although, she once more had a serene look on her face, "Don't tell anyone about this, please. I would prefer, in their eyes, to remain immortal."

Shen nodded understandingly, then leaped from the window, opening his massive train like a glider, cawing loudly as he did so.

Monkey jerked upwards, awakened by the avian's noise.

"Uugh! Doesn't that bird ever know when to pipe down?" he groaned, covering his ears, sliding uncomfortably out of his sleeping position, "Goodness..."

He sleepily opened his door, and turned out the doorway-

And also crashed straight into Tigress, walking slowly down the hall.

"Augh!" the primate yelped loudly, drawing back a step in nervous fear, "Gee, your up early..."

"I'm a tiger. We are always up early," the feline explained, crossing her arms, "Besides, It's not early..."

"Yeah, not for you..." Monkey mumbled, turning his back resolutely on Tigress, "Any word from Shifu?"

"I haven't seen him," Tigress replied, beginning to walk after the primate, "I saw Shen and Yin having a powwow in the hall, but that was of no interest to me."

Monkey's eyes narrowed. That... that may be of no interest to Tigress, but it was interesting to him. Immensely interesting.

"What were they doing?"

"Who?"

"You know, Shen and Yin," the primate explained exasperatedly, "What were they doing?"

"Oh, them... I didn't see. Just talking, I suppose... What else would they be doing?"

"Ahh, I don't know. Discussing secret plans, maybe..." Monkey mused thoughtfully, "You know, I never trusted birds."

"Hey, you know these walls are paper!" Crane's long beak poked from his door, glaring at the primate, "And I heard that."

"Nevermind!" the primate called back dismissively.

Shifu abruptly entered the hall, with the obvious intention of waking them all up. Stopping at the sight of three of his Masters in the hall, he nodded to them.

"Greetings, Monkey, Tigress... Crane, where is Master Po? Is he up?"

"No, I haven't seen him, Master," Crane replied truthfully, "He's probably still asleep."

"Ah, very well," Shifu turned around, going back out the hall, "Get yourself some breakfast, we will wait for him to rise."

Soft footsteps turned around the hall, and Shen walked in, in front if Master Shifu. He looked disgruntled about something.

"Shen, we will not discuss the matter any further," Shifu stated finally at the bird, as if ending an argument.

Shen glared at the Grandmaster's back, then turned and walked back down the hall, to his room.

"Master, what was that about?" Tigress asked respectfully, following Shifu as he walked away.

"It is nothing you should concern yourself with, Tigress," Shifu replied briefly, twitching his ear towards the feline. They now stood in the kitchen, the dining room ahead of them. The awake Masters proceeded to make themselves a simple breakfast, consisting mostly of leftovers from the night before.

Tigress heated the stove, warming her soup. It still smelled nice; Po was certainly a good cook.

She took the now-steaming bowl from the stove, sitting down at the simple wooden table.

The appetizing smell from the soup filled the room, and it wasn't long before Po appeared, licking his lips. Tigress sent him a greeting smile.

The panda was so predictable sometimes...

"Ahh, there you are, Po," Shifu nodded, "Look, panda, there's something I need to tell-"

Shifu halted what he was saying, as Viper and Mantis came in.

"Good morning, everyone!" Viper exclaimed, her cheery tones unconsciously brightening everyone's mood.

Shifu sent them a nod, and placed his attentions back on the panda.

"Panda, there is something I need to tell you."

Po turned enthusiastically, eagerly awaiting what the Grandmaster had to say. However, his light-hearted attitude faded somewhat, as he noticed Shifu's grave expression.

"W-what is it?" he asked haltingly.

Shifu was silent, trying desperately to calm the troubled thoughts running through his mind. He looked back up to the panda, trying to keep a stoic face, for Po's sake.

"Po, I have done a some thinking over the matter that Yin posed, and...

and I have decided that it is for the best if you go."

"W-what?" Po half-gasped, leaning down, "Bu... but master, I live here! This is my home!"

"Others have left their homes for this sake as well, panda," Shifu replied, shaking his head, "If we do not act now, we will never be able to. I'm sorry, Po, but it must be done. The decision is not in my hands."

"Besides, it's not as if you will never return," Fenghuang added, stepping from the hall. She had heard some of this conversation, and was saddened. She was causing hurt, division, sending these people into danger. For helping her, these people would almost certainly suffer Yaan's wrath. But she had to stay objective... this sacrifice, of lives and blood, must be paid, or else nothing would survive.

"You will return, Dragon Warrior," she smiled half-heartedly, "If I have anything whatsoever in the say, you will return."

"Oh..." Po replied, far from his usual confident self.

Fenghuang drew back a little, surprised.

"Po, whatever happened to "It wouldn't be that much fun, without any evil?" Where did your confidence go?"

"Well," Po said slowly, turning to the phoenix, "I just realized... that I would be going... alone. I mean" - he swept his arms around the room, gesturing to everyone in the room - "look at them! They are great, perfect, Masters! They have everything! Courage, confidence, discipline... there my heroes!" he suddenly dropped his voice, his eyes meeting the floor, "Now look at me. What do you see?"

"I see-" Fenghuang began, but Po wasn't finished.

"A fat, slow, not that smart... rather un-awesome panda," he finished for her, his eyes downcast, "When I'm with them, I feel AWESOME! I feel like I can take on a giant, fire-spitting doom radish! But without them... I'm just a fat panda with patchy pants."

"And yet, Po, when it was needed, you defeated Tai Lung, all by yourself," the phoenix pointed out, still confused.

"But what if I mess up? What if I can't do it again?"

"Those questions must be answered when the time comes, Po," Fenghuang replied sagely.

"Regardless, panda, you must go, whether or not you feel like it," Shifu added, walking back up to the large black-and-white creature, "It is your destiny, Po! What good is destiny, if you do not live it?!"

Po drew up, taking a grim and determined expression.

"Well, you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to come with you, Yin!" he turned to her, bowing quickly, "And then I'm going to wake that sleeping dragon, then kick Yaan's tail!"

Fenghuang smiled nervously, a smile which quickly turned into a real one.

"Ah, a good decision, Po,"

"It... will... be... LEGENDARY!" Po finished, throwing his fist in the air.

Viper giggled a little. The Dragon Warrior was so very funny sometimes...

"If you say so, Dragon Warrior..." Fenghuang frowned, shaking her head. Why did mortals think that a bigger adversary was better?

A feeling of almost festivity was present at that morning. But it was Fenghuang, with her grave thoughts, that had the greatest grasp over the situation.

Yaan was real. He was very real. And she feared that he was greater than any of them imagined...

* * *

_Author's note: World's hardest chapter: COMPLETE! Sorry for the long wait guys, I really had trouble writing this. I hope you enjoyed the piece of sub-average work. Thank you for reading! Anyway, we just went to see 'The Hobbit' and Now, I am so inspired! Hopefully, the next chapter will come easier!_

_Until next time, goodbye!_


	12. Wind

Chapter Eleven

* * *

Two days had passed in silence, since the confirmation of the journey. In between living his normal life as the Dragon Warrior, Po now had to pack, preparing for his trip.

Shen, however, seemed to have dropped out of life, never saying anything, and eating alone. His white form was as a ghost. No-one knew what he was doing, within the dark hours of the night, or the many minutes spent in solitude, walking the extensive bamboo forests that covered the Valley of Peace.

Oddly enough, Shifu did not seem concerned, either not noticing or not caring. Tigress noted this, that her normally training-obsessed Master was allowing this kind of slacking was strange to her. She certainly wouldn't let Shen get away with it.

However, she never had the chance to talk to him about it, as he had all but vanished to her. Whether he even lived, she hardly knew, never seeing anything more of him than his shadow, or perhaps a faint caw, borne on the wind from some lonely place.

There were many places to be alone, and Shen himself took full advantage of it, brooding on the coming events that life or death might bring. His attitude soured with every passing day, the cool morning breath, or exhilarating sunrise doing nothing to raise his spirits. Kung Fu training, however, did, requiring absolute concentration in order to succeed. So he buried himself in it, spending day after day, wrapped in kicks and spins, a beautiful symphony of movement that no-one ever saw.

But there were times when his strength would fail him, and he would collapse exhausted to the wet earth. Then would his mind catch up, and he would have no recourse but to dwell on his thoughts.

Perhaps it was for the better, in the grand scheme of things. His stay at the Jade Palace was only to be temporary, at the very best.

Without the panda, Po, to stay there any longer would become unbearable. He should move on, carve a life for himself where it would be wanted. There surely must be room in this world, where having visions for the future was dark, and inventing a crime, for him. It was a big world, after all. And if, should he find that he was wrong, that there was no place for him, then he could make one, as he had always done before, as a visionary among the hopelessly visionless. It would be hard, but he could do it.

But even as he now pondered these thoughts, out loud or in his head, as he spoke them to the unspeaking void of wind, he always found his thoughts souring, turning painfully to the panda and Phoenix that forced this state upon him.

For, in his heart of hearts, Shen was afraid of the future. He always had been, really, but in the company of friends, he had been able to keep the darkness in his mind at bay.

Then, as his mind touched upon his own fear, Shen would recoil, thrusting his thoughts away. He feared his own fear, as well.

Standing wearily, he threw his thoughts aside, and moved slowly into tai chi, moving his wings with the slow, flowing grace that trademarked those moves.

A cry of pain escaped his beak, as his sore legs struggled to perform the stretching and taxing moves and positions. He was exhausted, completely and utterly exhausted. Good.

Bringing the Tai Chi to a halt, the peacock wearily trudged to a rock, setting himself down with tired grace. Exhaustion overtook him quickly, and he fell deep into a dreamless sleep.

It was cold when he awoke, early at dawn. Shivering, he clutched his wings closer to his body, thankful that he was not a reptile, and was covered with warm feathers. The sun was not yet up, a grey mist floating in the sky to the east, where the sun slept, only minutes from rising.

With a small groan and quaking legs, Shen arose, lifting his head to greet the wind. His head-crest blew back in the breeze, and the peacock felt something inside him soar, a twisting knot that screamed with the joy to be alive, that must be let out or else it would drive him mad. He lifted his head to it's fullest height, and opened his beak. A caw sounded out, a lonely, eerie noise, yet bursting with life, mixing into the song of nature, the song that all that lives sing.

The sound echoed over the cloudy bamboo forest, unchanged in clarity...

It was the Phoenix, sitting in solitude by the window, that heard the caw, and understood with heart-piercing insight it's meaning, the joy of life, and the specific aloneness of the individual that screamed it. A thought twisted in her head, an epiphany of sorts, of the meaning of life. Although she herself was new to living, she was not new to LIFE, having a sudden joy that there were others who shared it with her, and she soared her way into the heavens, her own caw sounding in the skies.

Yet not all life that graced this world was benevolent, and it was not only the friendly creatures who took note of the celestial caw...

Fenghuang glided in the air with the effortless ability of a fish to water, soaring and spiraling with a freedom that was not to be found in any other place on this mortal world. She was refreshed, her tiredness having finally given way to the clutching hold of sleep last night. Sleep! Never had she experienced anything quite so beautiful, a perfect repose from the challenges that this life revealed. Truly it was a gift, something that few mortals ever took notice of. She flapped twice, increasing her speed as she dropped down through the cold morning air, her train falling behind her like the tail of a meteor.

She landed lightly, looking around herself at the area she was in. A tower, looking old, yet majestic, loomed before her, the room at the top completely covered in vines. Mountains surrounded her on all sides, impressive and imposing, leaving the place she stood in a deep valley.

She straightened her feathers composedly, and walked a few feet in one direction. She was not alone, she could feel it... But it was a friendly presence. She knew who it was...

She rounded the corner, looking down behind the tower. Shen was there, holding a staff of some sort, and practicing his Ca Li Fo. Having nothing better to do, Fenghuang sat down comfortably on a rock, and watched the peacock go through his routine.

Shen was only doing his slo-mo routine, practicing each thrust and blow with his staff in a balanced, precise motion. Indeed, he was still tired from yesterday, and did not feel up to his normal lightning fast series of moves. Ca Li Fo was an art, having no single moves, but rather strings of stances and moves stitched expertly together, an altogether intricate and difficult dance, following a rhythm that demanded movement.

Shen stopped his motions, letting the staff drop carelessly to the ground. His heart was not in it today- and neither was his body. He felt drained, and he felt isolated, as if there was a sheet between him and his training, that would allow only the outline and not the detail to come through. What was the point? He would need a break anyway...

The peacock sat down carefully, brushing the ground before he sat. He never much liked the thought of sitting on dirt...

"Greetings, Shen." Fenghuang's deep, yet soft voice broke the perfect stillness, as she solemnly strode into view, her ethereal skirts trailing behind her, as if moving in a slow, unfelt wind.

Shen yelped, surprised, and jumped to his feet uncomfortably, eyeing Fenghuang a little suspiciously.

"Good morning, Yin," he stated slowly, bowing shallowly, "What brings you here?"

"Does there have to be a reason, Shen?" Fenghuang replied with a mysterious smile, eyeing him from the corners of her eyes, "I am enjoying the smell of a morning breeze, feeling the dewy grass beneath my feet. There are any multitude of reasons I could be here, Shen."

Shen said nothing, his eyes flitting to the grass. Yes, it was dewy. A dratted nuisance it was too...

"But, you are right," Fenghuang continued, turning to face him fully, "I came to see you, specifically. I heard your caw, and wished your presence... You are very good at what you do," she added, gesturing to the discarded staff.

Shen reddened slightly, a little angry that she had been spying so. That was certainly not one of the things he thought Phoenixes would do...

"Thank you," he replied brusquely.

"Is it not normally done...faster?" Fenghuang questioned, tilting her head slightly. The peacock in front if her stood out perfectly with the mountain behind, if she was an artist, she would want to paint that.

"Yes, but I was tired, therefore, doing it slower than ordinary," Shen responded shortly, his head-crest raising in hidden irritation, "Why do you want to know?"

"I wish to see," she replied simply, "I wish to know."

Shen 'hmmpped' and picked up his staff, eyeing Fenghuang sideways, before moving into the Ca Li Fo movements proper, with the speed that the style was famous for. Ignoring his rather tired legs, he pivoted up on one limb, kicked with the other, twisted his train in a sweeping motion where his leg had just been, and stabbed the staff with a twirl. The staff kept twirling, and he brought it around his head quickly, twisting his entire body around in the air with the staff. Quickly, he moved upwards, and jabbed the staff into the ground, landing atop it lightly, delivering a few kicks to the air.

Fenghuang watched his form, moving swiftly with undeniable skill. She could do many of those moves... or she used to. A feeling that she was unused to grew in her chest, something alien.

It was envy. He looked very graceful, as every part of his body that could possibly be used to a dangerous effect was brought into action. She, who prided herself on her grace, felt herself challenged. And it was a founded envy, beacause she could not do any of those moves anymore.

Shen flared his train, and jabbed the staff, straight at her face, stopping inches from her beak. He stood, stock-still. The two white birds stood like that for a short while in silence.

Shen brought the staff down without a word, turning away.

"Impressive!" Fenghuang acclaimed, smoothing down her neck-feathers, "Now... Show me how to do it."

The last words were spoken with an uncertain tounge, as she was not entirely sure what she was doing.

"E-Excuse me?" Shen replied, certain he had not heard correctly.

His confused response have her all the confidence she needed, and she stepped forwards.

"I said, show me. Show me how you do all those movements?"

Shen stepped back, flabbergasted. "Wha... Yin... Your majesty, I am not a teacher..." he began, trying to reason with her. He was very good at what he did, but teaching... To a female... and to a Phoenix...

"Wouldn't Crane, suit you better?" he hassled out, stopping himself from adding a cheesy grin.

"Probably," Yin smiled, feeling for once, in control and proud of herself, "But I asked you."

Shen groaned inwardly, tilting his head back exasperatedly. "B-but, I can't teach!" he exclaimed, stepping forward quickly, "Ca Li Fo is a very difficult art... I cannot teach it! And certainly not... to you..."

"Why not?" she countered softly, "I am, when it comes down, no different than anyone. I wish to learn."

"Why!?" Shen stuttered, his train flaring, and very nearly shouting in her face, "Why do you want to learn?! What good would it ever do YOU?"

Fenghuang was surprised at how quickly the peacock had responded, taking a step back in consideration.

"Shen, I have already told you... I am a mortal now, and.. And since I may never return to my home, I wish to at least have the ability to lead a life here. Look at me!" she flung her wings out, showing her figure with disgust, "I'm flimsy! Even walking is a bother to me! I wish to be... I wish to stronger, Shen! Why can you not help me get that, peacock!?"

Shen eyed her warily, taking a step back, and bowing again. "You are not flimsy, Yin..." he said quietly, keeping his true thoughts in her figure to himself, "But I cannot teach you, Yin. If you are truly determined, you should find Crane. He surely will help you... A noble member of the Furious Five."

The last words were etched with bitterness, as Shen spoke them with a harsh face. He turned away, hiding his face.

"I'm sorry, but I can't teach you. Find Master Crane."

Fenghuang watched him intently, the obvious pain in his face. And suddenly, she realized it was not only she who would benefit from training her. Regardless, She did not want Crane to teach her, she wanted Shen. Shen understood her, as he alone knew her secret, that she was not immortal. Also, the anatomy of a Phoenix is closer to that of a peacock than that of a crane... But Shen was unrelenting. How could she convince him? He was surely one if the most stubborn, prideful... She smiled to herself, surprised by the sudden surge of cunning that welled up inside her.

"Very well, peacock," she sighed, stepping back, "I am afraid I overestimated you, Shen. I thought you were a master. I am... I am sorry."

Shen turned to face her again, his eyes widening. "Wh...what do you mean, 'Thought I was a master'? I-I have spent all my life mastering my art, how would you... Oh, Nevermind."

"Well, you know the saying," Fenghuang replied, "A true master can teach his skill to another..."

"Well, I..." his eyes narrowed, and he laughed slowly, his beak curving upwards a little, "Ah... I see what you are doing... You are playing on my pride! Clever, clever, Yin."

She frowned, crossing her wings. "Was I doing such a thing? Why Shen, you should know that I am above that!"

Shen deflated, exasperated. "Very well, you win. I will teach you- no, I will assist you. No 'Master' stuff... That would just be too strange. Are we clear?"

"Yes indeed, Shen," Fenghuang replied with a smile, "And thank you for helping me."

Shen half-growled. "I did not have a choice," he replied, with a wry smile, "You are my Queen, I cannot disobey you."

Fenghuang beamed. "You are right, Shen! I should have thought of that earlier!"

The peacock rolled his eyes, and placed his wings in his sleeves. "Shall we begin, or shall we just stand here?"

Fenghuang frowned. "Is that how you speak to your queen, Shen?"

"My queen and student," Shen countered.

"I thought you did not want to be my master," Fenghuang shot back.

"Master, no. Teacher, yes," Shen retorted.

The Phoenix withdrew, bowing slightly. "Fair enough, Shen. Begin when you shall."

Shen bowed back, before turning away, and beginning the rehearsed speech for new Ca Li Fo students.

"Ca Li Fo is not to be learned in a day. It is not for the weak, either of body or heart. At the same time, one does not have to be strong to master it..."

* * *

Across from Heaven's Pothole, where Shen trained, Po bounded happily down the stair from the palace. He was on one of his rare breaks, and he was going to visit his dad. He had so much to tell him! His mind raced, thinking out the best way to explain the situation. It needed explaining, for the news was not all good.

Po would need to be tactful, perhaps even cunning, in explaining to his father that he would be going, perhaps for months.

The walk to the noodle shop was all too short, and Po found himself wondering why those stairs were so long going up, if they could be so easily descended. Nevertheless, the noodle shop waited unexpectedly, and he ran forward to greet it.

A cry of several adoring fans was heard as he stepped in, the Dragon Warrior was forever welcome in this place. With a friendly wave to whoever bothered to be looking, Po made his way to the counter, where his adoptive father spent most of the day working, a constant smell of delicious food making it's way to the customer's salivating mouth.

"Po! Where have you been, son?" Mr. Ping rushed forwards, his grey head wobbling with his waddling gait, "I was so worried about you! Business has been going good, but I could still use your help, here, help me chop carrots."

"Hey dad, I missed you too," Po replied with a grin, ignoring everything the goose had said. Mr. Ping could ramble sometimes, it was a necessary skill to filter his words, if you wished to speak to him. Fortunately, Po seemed to harvest that skill in abundance.

"What have you been doing, way up there at the Jade Palace?" the goose probed with curiosity, "Training as usual? Come! Tell me everything!"

Po followed Mr. Ping with a smile, walking into the old kitchen he knew so well. He had to lean down to fit in, avoiding the low ceiling. The building was designed for creatures much smaller than a giant panda.

"Well, we were training as usual, dad, you know how Shifu is about that..." Po replied, grabbing a spare dumpling from the counter.

"Ah ah ah! Those are for customers, Po!" Mr. Ping exclaimed, rushing forward and yanking the dumpling away, "There now, I'll just put it back... So, nothing new at all, then?"

Po leaned back a little, eying his adoptive father with a look that resembled caution, but not quite. There was really no word for the fleeting thought passing through his mind...

"Well, there is something, actually. Just a few days ago, dad, we got a guest!" he began, leaning down and going through a fanboy aftershock, "It was Yin, the sacred Phoenix! And she wanted me for something!"

"Really?" Mr. Ping replied, arranging the dumplings. He gave every appearance of having not heard a word of what Po had said, his eyes fixated on the little white balls in front of him.

"And she wanted me to go with her, all the way to NEPAL!" the panda continued, sighing, "And I thought that was really long, and at first, Master Shifu was like 'no way', but then Yin told her really sad and super-awesome story, and Shifu agreed to let me go!"

"So you are happy to just, leave, not knowing when or if you will ever return?" Mr. Ping asked suddenly, turning his shaky eyes to the panda's jade orbs. So he was listening.

"Well..." Po responded thoughtfully, rubbing the back of his head, "I wouldn't say 'happy', but it was more like 'obligated'. It needs doing, dad, and I'm the only one who can help."

"This Yin... She a nice girl?" the goose queried startlingly, then continued before Po could answer, "She ever eaten noodles? What did she think of them? Has she ever eaten MY noodles?"

"Uh... Dad, does that like, really matter?" Po asked with hesitation, leaning forward, "I mean, I know that noodles are important to you and all, but..."

"Of course it is important!" Mr. Ping snapped, with surprising force, "You are a noodle-folk! Broth runs deep through your veins! If she doesn't eat noodles, she doesn't like you. At all."

"Dad, that's ridiculous!" the panda laughed in reply, underlyingly mindful of his father's unstable temper, "Besides, she does eat noodles. I fixed her some on the first day she arrived, and she liked them!"

"Did she ask for the recipe?" Mr. Ping continued his interrogation intently, leaning his beak forwards with every word, "Did she just eat it, or did she blow on it? Did she-"

"Dad dad dad!" Po interrupted, "What's the point of this?! Yes she blew on the noodles! What does that matter?"

"It means she was afraid that they were bad, and was stalling for time," the goose replied stubbornly.

"Dad, you blow on your noodles!" Po sighed, throwing his arms out in front of him, "Look, I know that you might not like her, but she's a good guy! Ok, not a guy, but she's nice! Why are you trying to find fault with her so, so adamantly?"

Mr. Ping said nothing, crossing his wings and puffing.

"Dad?" the panda asked slowly, leaning down farther.

The goose deflated with a heavy sigh, his head drooping disconsolately.

"She must not be nice, Po," he replied, with slow misery in his aged voice, "If she's trying to take you from me..."

Po, whatever he was going to say, felt the words die on his lips, shattered like so much discarded glass, used and misused at a late-night party.

"Dad..." he began, leaning forward further, "She's not taking me from you... I mean, I'll be back... I'll come back, with tales of ADVENTURE in my belt! I'm not leaving you!"

"So you can promise that you will come back then, Po?" the old goose looked up, piercing his eyes into those of the panda in front of him.

"Dad... No-one can ever be sure of anything, all the way. If I walk downstairs, I may never come back up," Po explained slowly, his words laced with caution, "I can't promise that I will return alive... But I can promise that I WILL come back, when I'm needed to. I'm still your son, dad... I can't just leave you."

Mr. Ping came forward quickly.

Before Po could realize what he was doing, he found the goose wrapped around him in a sorrowful yet loving hug.

"I love you, Po," he said quietly, burying his head into the panda's fuzzy shoulder.

"I love you too, dad," Po replied with sincerity, wrapping his arms around Mr. Ping's smaller body, returning the hug. Po, although adopted, never considered the goose as anything but his father, even to the point of believing that Mr. Ping was his biological dad until his encounter with Shen proved otherwise.

Mr. Ping pulled back, looking up at his son with small tears in his eyes. "Is this goodbye, Po?" he asked quickly, "When are you leaving?"

Po sat back, considering the question.

"I don't really know, dad," he replied finally, then added with a laugh, "Heh, I haven't even finished packing yet..."

Mr. Ping stood up quickly. "Oh Po! Why didn't you say so!" he began waddling downstairs, into Po's old room, "I will pack for you... Now, where do you keep those action figures?"

"No. Dad, I can pack by myself, really!" Po hurriedly tried to convince his father to that effect, but Mr. Ping was insufferable. A good thing too, because they accomplished more in those two hours then Po had finished in the past two days.

It was almost evening when Po began walking up the stairs to the Jade Palace, dragging the massive bag behind him. He had parted on friendly terms with his dad, which was more than he had hoped for. Honestly, he had expected to have been thrown out the noodle shop, accoladed by flying pots and pans.

The sound of rustling feathers caught his ear, and he looked up quickly. Shen was there, gliding down and landing heavily.

"Greetings, panda..." he panted, "I declare, these stairs get longer each time..."

A streak of light rushed overhead, looking like a thin comet. Fenghuang shot effortlessly overhead, landing far lighter than the peacock. Nevertheless, she was tired, but it did not seem to have showed in her spirits, as a happy warm glow exuded from the phoenix. She walked with sedate yet blissful steps down the hall, searching for whoever she wished. She had accomplished something today as she had not in eons, and was immensely proud of herself.

Shen, far down the stairs, shook his head at the panda beside him. "What I would give for that ability..."

"Yup..." Po grunted, hefting the heavy pack up another stair, "But she has one flaw."

Shen's eyebrows knotted together, suddenly possessed by a sinful curiosity. "What?"

"She..." Po puffed, and turned to the peacock with a sigh, "She blows on her soup before she eats it."

Shen's face spoke a thousand words, all of them comical. "E-excuse me?"

Po suddenly burst out laughing. "Hahahah...hah... Sorry Shen, it's just something my dad said..."

Shen shook his head again, rolling his red eyes. "I don't know why I continually keep falling for these jokes of yours, panda..."

"I dunno," Po replied with a shrug, "So, what were you doing?"

"Teaching Yin Ca Li Fo," Shen replied shortly, "Although why she deemed that I would make a suitable teacher is far beyond my reasoning..."

Now it was Po's turn to appear nonplussed.

Shen smirked, crossing his wings. "It's true..."

"Okaayyy..." Po replied, narrowing his eyes, "So... Wanna carry this bag?"

"I believe I will decline, Po," Shen replied, still smirking, "You seem to be doing a fine job..."

Po grunted, and continued up the stairs, the white peacock walking a few steps ahead of him.

Tigress observed the duo from the top of the stairs, impatiently awaiting Po's return to the Jade Palace. She growled to herself, seeing Shen next to him.

So the peacock finally decided to come back, did he? Who did he think he was? If he was going to leave, just leave. Don't come back...

"Why so angry?" came a voice beside her, and she turned quickly, realizing she must have been growling quite loudly. Crane stood there, eyeing her sideways.

"Shen..." she began weakly, gesturing down the stairs.

"Ah..." Crane replied understandingly, "So you still don't trust him, eh?"

"No..." Tigress replied softly, crossing her arms, "And I honestly don't believe I ever will."

"Pity..." Crane nodded simply, turning away, "Look, Tigress, we all know how much you hate him, and you have good reason to. But he has honestly wanted to change..."

He was just in front of the door, and he turned back to her for a second. "Perhaps it's time to just... Let it go."

And then he was gone, walking away down the hall, out of sight. Tigress sighed.

It was hard, carrying this much hate... perhaps, Crane was right. Perhaps she should let it go... NO! That peacock was going to kill them all, and it was only her constant vigilance that kept him at bay! She could never afford to just, forgive him! NEVER!

Tigress turned, and raced from the doorway, back to her room. Why was her life never simple!? Why was she the only one who could see it, the only one to stand between the darkness and the light, to guard the path? Why were the others so very blind?

Perhaps she was wrong, and it was she who was blind, the blind man causing the sighted of not seeing the hallucination of the mind. Perhaps she was just crazy...

"Nay, Tigress, it is not insane to be cautious," a soft yet deep voice rung out clearly behind her, and she knew without turning that Yin was behind her.

"Who invited you in?" she half-snarled, keeping the Phoenix behind her.

"You did, Tigress," Fenghuang replied softly, "Your soul... It cries out for relief from the hate you have buried. Why not let it go, and have peace?"

Tigress said nothing, not moving at all. Perhaps if she did not answer, the Phoenix would get the message and leave...

"You fear that relieving your hate will betray you, Tigress. You are cautious, but to a fault," Fenghuang sighed sadly, placing her wings within her sleeves. Tigress gave no answer, keeping her back turned.

The Phoenix frowned, closing her eyes in sadness. "Tigress, you reject my council... But now, remember this, that hate in the heart is a dangerous thing. Caution is a good thing, but sometimes... There is a time to trust."

"I will not ever trust him," Tigress replied coldly, an invisible tear dropping from her cheek, "And I will not give in to the darkness, if that is what you fear."

"I fear that you will destroy yourself, Tigress," Fenghuang replied, turning back to the door, "You have closed yourself to all that you trust, even the snake, Master Viper."

"She betrayed us once!" Tigress snarled, gripping the sheets on her bed in a silent anguish, "By my separation, I protect us all from a second betrayal!"

"You also place in jeopardy, all that you hold dear," came the lilting reply, her voice pleasant and reassuring, yet with a hint of warning buried deep within. Her voice was a maze, one could easily become lost in...

"The time of trust will be placed apon you soon, Master Tigress," Yin continued finally, stepping out the door, "I pray that, when it comes, you will have the strength of character to make the right choice."

And she was gone. Like Crane, vanishing down the hall into the obscurities of the palace.

And Tigress was left alone.

* * *

Night had fallen over the valley, and the last few remaining villagers began drifting back indoors. The 'Dragon Warrior noodles and tofu' shop was still open, serving the last few characters that remained.

Two wolves sat in silence, long-empty bowl lying untouched in front if them. A hooded figure sat next to them, his large paws placed heavily on the table.

"I'm telling you boss," one of the wolves growled, "I heard her this morning! I did!"

"But, Dhon," the hooded figure replied, a slight tilt of anger tracing the edges of his voice, "When we searched, we did not find any evidence of her, AT ALL, did we?"

"N-no..." the wolf named Dhon whimpered, "But she was here... I can smell her... But I can't pinpoint it..."

"Then try harder!" the cloaked figure whispered harshly, in a voice which suggested that, had they not been keeping their voice down, the words would have been roared, "I cannot report back with another failure..."

The last words were spoken in an extremely quiet voice. No-one was meant to hear that.

The second wolf, in silence until now, finally spoke. "We questioned everyone, Zhung. It is hard to do our job, when bound by these laws of civility..."

The hooded figure, presumably Zhung, rumbled. "It is a thorn in my side as well, Trein, but we cannot afford a massacre until we know the location of the Phoenix. We would be thrown from the Valley too soon."

"Perhaps..." the wolf known as Trein lapsed into silence. A tapping of feet reached their ears, and Dhon looked. A goose, presumably the propieter of the restaurant, came up to them, and began to take their bowls.

"Hey, Trein, you didn't ask this guy!" Dhon jeered.

"That is correct, why has it not been done?" Zhung hissed, his eyes narrowing, we must question everyone!"

Trein rolled his eyes, and approached the goose. "Excuse me, but..." he sighed, humiliated at having to talk to this lowly creature in front of him, "Do you know the location of someone?"

"Who?" the goose, Mr. Ping, asked intently, "I might know this person..."

"Maybe.." the wolf grimaced to himself angrily, then louder to the goose, "I am searching for the sacred Phoenix, Zhu Yin. Do you know where she is?"

Mr. Ping's eyes widened, then narrowed. Yes, he did know! And Po didn't say to keep it a secret...

* * *

Fenghuang jerked upright, stirred from her rest by a pulling, a drag... It was a message, containing no words, yet deadly clear in purpose...

Slipping from the bedsheets, the Phoenix walked with hurried grace down the hallway, finding the panda's room. She pushed it open. Po was asleep, deeply asleep... Her attempt to shake him awake failed, so she sighed, and settled to the other option. She stepped back, and pressed her wing to his left temple. The wingtip glowed for a second-

Po's eyes shot open, and he began blearily searching the room.

"Yin?" he asked groggily, rubbing his eyes, "What is it?"

Fenghuang closed her eyes for a second, checking the message. Yes. It was sure.

Opening her eyes again, he addressed the panda. "We have to leave, Po," she told him gravely, "We have to leave, and right now."

* * *

_Author's note: Not much to say here, really. My motivation has been lacking... Oh well, enjoy this chapter!_


	13. Leaving

Chapter Twelve

* * *

"Wha... What...?" Po mumbled, sitting up, when suddenly the realization of what Fenghuang had just said finally sunk in.

"Oh, OH!" the panda leaped up, throwing the covers off his body, "Right! Good thing I packed... Eh, wait a minute, why do we have to go now?"

"Can't you hear it?" Fenghuang replied, tilting her head towards the window, "The message?"

The panda listened. Silence. Absolute silence hung over the Valley.

"Um... No..." he exclaimed quietly, "Am I missing something? Because I don't hear anything..."

Po was silenced by a feather being placed across his lips. "Nevermind, Dragon Warrior," Fenghuang dismissed, moving away from the panda, and hefting up his bag, "We must go. Wake the others."

"Right, on it!" Po nodded, backing out his door.

Quickly turning, he ambled rapidly down the hall-

And was stopped by a display of red, white and black, as Shen suddenly appeared before him.

"You are leaving, aren't you?" the peacock spoke with finality, a little trace of sadness etching his voice.

"Um... Yeah," Po replied, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, searching for a way around the display, "Hey, look, Shen, I'm supposed to wake everyone up..."

"Panda... Po..." Shen lowered his head and his train, the display wilting behind him, "Don't kill yourself, alright? For what it's worth, Po, I wish you well."

"Aw, thanks," Po shrugged modestly, "You too, peacock."

"Po, time is pressing!" Yin's voice, coming serenely down the hall behind him, stirred the panda back up, "Have you awoken the others?"

"Eh...no?" Po grinned back nervously, taking the heavy pack from the phoenix, and hefting it to his shoulders.

"I'll do that!" Shen interrupted, and without another word, he turned and fled down the hall, his animal caw echoing loudly through the palace.

* * *

That was enough. Mere minutes later, the Five and Shifu were lined up before Po and Fenghuang.

"Farewell, panda..." Shifu bowed, "Go with grace."

Crane landed gracefully down next to Shifu, and looked at the two people in front of him. Fenghuang was paranoid, she had refused to go down the stairs. As a result, Po and her were leaving by the other, much harder way from the Valley, by scaling the mountains that surrounded it directly.

"Crane..." Shifu beckoned to the avian quietly, "I want you to keep an eye on Shen. Go now!"

Crane, although confused, did not question the order, and flew upwards and away, calling out his farewell as he flew.

"Goodbye, Grandmaster, may we meet again under better circumstances,"

Fenghuang bowed, with her usual slow respect, "Come, panda, we must be going..."

She turned, eyeing the sloping face of the mountain before them. It felt odd, after all this, to be finally actually leaving. She looked back for a second, and saw the panda coming up to her. She smiled, and leaped into the sky, flapping repeatedly until she had gained enough speed to soar. The ground dropped away beneath her, and she once more felt that familiar breathtaking awe, the thrill of the wind in her feathers. Looping around, she swooped back to Po, grasping the back of his pack with her talons.

"Farewell!" she and Po shouted together, "GOODBYE!"

Abruptly, she rocketed skywards, soaring away like a comet up the mountainside.

Shifu followed them with his eyes, until the gleaming streak finally faded from view. He turned, with slow, sad solemnity. "

It is done," he announced to the three warriors in front of him,

Viper, Mantis, and Monkey, "We must go back to our lives. Where is Tigress?"

"So fast..." the striped feline murmured, "It all happened so fast... They are gone..."

"The time for farewells has passed, Tigress," Shifu informed, but not reprimandingly.

The warriors slowly walked back inside, out from the cold. Shivering, Monkey chattered his way back to his room, to catch up on lost sleep.

"Off back to bed already?" Mantis exclaimed, with a grin.

"Yeah..." Monkey replied, stifling a yawn, "I mean, no offense, but Yin really woke us up early..."

"Naw, that was Shen," the insect corrected, hopping from the primate's shoulder, down to the table beside him, "He woke us up with his cawing, not Yin."

"Whatever..." Monkey groaned sleepily, sinking his head to the table...

"Where is Shen, anyway?" Tigress interjected, half-rising from her seat.

"With Crane..." Monkey moaned.

* * *

Crane walked down through the meditation rooms, and through, to the bedrooms. What was the point of this? He stopped outside of Shen's room, and paused, moving the door open just slightly enough so that he could see what the peacock was doing.

Crane drew back in disappointment. The room was in order, but Shen was not inside. Turning, he walked to the kitchen, and looked in. Monkey, who looked fast asleep, Tigress and Mantis were in there, quietly conversing on something. From what he could hear, it was about whether or not Tigress truly practiced unarmed combat, or if her claws should count as weapons.

"...I've seen daggers smaller than those claws!" the insect stated loudly, causing the sleeping Monkey to start.

Crane shook his head and walked on, not waiting to hear Tigress's rebut. The sacred hall of warriors was empty, save for Master Shifu, Viper beside him. The snake was saying something, but Crane didn't catch it.

Crane moved on, this time leaving the Jade Palace altogether, and flying the short distance to the Training Hall. The night air was cold, altogether frigid, so the avian moved quickly, unbolting the double-wooden doors, and walking into the slightly warmer interior.

The Training Hall hung still, no movement, nothing. It looked like some twisted forest in the low light, and Crane turned in disgust. Not here either? Then where? Think, Crane, THINK! Shen had not been all that happy that the panda was leaving, often disappearing to some unknown location. That was not very helpful...

But now that Po was gone, Shen would need somewhere to think, to clear his mind...

Crane walked from the training hall, taking to the air once more. The peach tree of heavenly wisdom. He had to be there...

However, this proved to be yet another dead end, as the tree stood silent, almost vigilant, in the night. Empty. The peacock was nowhere to be found...

A thought occurred to Crane. What if...

Suddenly, the full weight of what he had just though slammed into him like a battering ram. Of course that's where he was! Of course! How could he not have seen it sooner?

He turned hurriedly from the tree, flying rapidly back to the Jade Palace.

Tigress sighed, standing up. She couldn't rest, not really. How could she, when a friend was going away for MONTHS, to wake a DRAGON, for crying out loud. She walked out the dining room, without so much as a goodbye, leaving Mantis halfway through his argument.

The moon pool was in front of her, the doors now on one side. She strode past Master Shifu, and opened the main doors, walking out the palace.

The stairs stretched out in front of her, seemingly endless in the night. The world was so big, how could one panda possibly hope to traverse it?

Of course it was big.

It was the world, after all... What had she expected? There came a time, in every person's life, to make a journey... This was Po's. however, it was not destined to be so. If things had only gone one second differently, on that fateful day, it would be she who would be walking her way towards Nepal, the Phoenix beside her.

But that was fate, a fickle mistress. It played, and it twisted. One could be certain of the day before them, for one unexpected thing to mess it up completely.

Fate... As Tigress dwelled on these things, she noticed something... Odd. Five, no six people were walking up the stairs. Wolves...

Her keen senses detected danger, and she turned quickly, racing back into the palace. Shifu was still there, in a seemingly silent conversation with Viper.

"Master!" Tigress yelled, bounding up to him, "There are six people, coming up the main stair. Wolves."

"Wolves?" Shifu asked, rotating to face the feline, "Come, we will meet them. Viper, go and alert the others."

Viper hurried to comply, her slender body whipping as she raced back through the palace halls.

Shifu and Tigress, father and daughter, stood at the top of the stairs, watching the figures below climb higher and higher.

"Who do you think they are?" Shifu whispered sideways to Tigress, standing solemnly beside him.

"I don't know for sure, Master," Tigress replied calmly, her eyes fixed on the wolves, "But they could be the wolves that tried to apprehend us on our way back from the outermost village."

"They are hostile, then?" the red panda exhaled, gripping his staff tighter.

"Almost certainly, Master," came the feline's reply.

The first wolf had reached the top end of the stairs, and now stood about five steps below them, panting heavily.

"Hand over the... Hand over the mmssmtfm..." he puffed out, "Or... Or we'll wuph ya..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," Shifu replied, a slight smile playing on his face, "Could you repeat it please?"

The wolf fixed him with a glare, and panted out something that sounded like 'very funny', before collapsing to his knees, gasping away.

The second wolf reached them, but didn't waste time talking, instead only standing there, waiting for the others.

The remaining four wolves hulked up the stairs, like sentinels of darkness.

One, wearing a dark hood, stepped slowly forward, till he stood directly in front of the Grandmaster.

"Greetings, grandmaster... I only want one thing," he said, crossing his arms, "I want the Phoenix Yin."

Both Master's eyes widened. That voice! That was no wolf!

"Zhung Chai!" they both exclaimed simeltaneously, taking a fighting stance.

"In person," the tiger grinned, throwing back his hood, "Now that you obviously know who I am..."

"We will never hand anything over to anyone like you, Zhung Chai!" Shifu declared finally, not sparing the tiger a thought.

"Is that so, Shifu!?" Zhung growled loudly, with a triumphant smirk, "Because I came not all the way here to argue! You, are in no position to barter! Behind me, I have five fine warriors! And there are only two of you..."

The wolves drew their swords, and each stepped forward in unision.

"You seem to have us outnumbered..." Shifu mused, staying in his stance.

"Not anymore!" someone yelled, and Viper, Monkey, and Mantis leaped beside the Grandmaster, each taking their unique poses.

Zhung took a half-step back, startled by the sudden appearance of the other warriors. He shook his head quickly, stepping forward again with a menacing snarl. "So you have reinforcements, so what!? I have the-"

"Let me guess," Shifu interrupted quickly, pointing his staff with one hand, "You have extensive control over fire?"

Zhung stepped back, and sent a glare in Tigress's direction. "What? You told him? That's like, my secret weapon! You can't tell everyone about it, or else... It's not secret!"

Tigress eyed Shifu sideways, and shrugged. She had no idea what he was talking about...

Zhung took a menacing step forward, and his wolves did the same. "For the last time, Shifu, hand over the Phoenix, and keep your life! My power is great!"

"We will never hand anything over to the likes of you!" Shifu exclaimed loudly, "And you will not set foot in the palace!"

"Ahaha, so you giveaway your weakness, Grandmaster! So it is in the palace that she takes refuge?" the tiger grinned victoriously, turning to his wolves, "Tear the place down!"

The wolves leaped upwards, bounding up the remaining few steps. The Masters stood firm, but Shifu leaped upwards, and delivered a repelling aerial kick to Zhung, sending him back to the edge of the stairs. Zhung growled, and leaped forwards-

Then was interrupted by a flash of white entering his vision, and he leaped backwards in alarm.

Crane stood there, his back to Zhung and the wolves, facing Shifu.

"Master, I cannot find Shen," the avian began, speaking quickly, "I'm afraid he may have left after Yin and Po-"

"CRANE!" Shifu and Tigress shouted simultaneously.

"Wha-...?" Crane defended hastily, before turning his head, spotting the tiger and wolves. "Oh..."

"She left? She got wind of us, Shifu?" Zhung roared in victory, "Tell me where she went! Tell us, Shifu!"

"Sir, she did not go down the stairs, she must have left by the back way, since the panda cannot fly," one of the wolves informed, "The mountain pass is difficult, if she had the panda with her, she could not have gone far."

Zhung seemed surprised, surprised that his wolf had actually said something useful for once. He smiled.

"She won't get away! We make for the mountain pass!"

"No!" Shifu declared, "Five, stop them!"

the Furious Five raced away down the stairs, and almost were at the wolves heels-

When Zhung dropped in the way, and flashed a ball of extremely bright light in their faces. Their night vision ruined, the could only stumble around helplessly as the wolves and Zhung disappeared into the night.

"No!"

* * *

Fenghuang sighed, looking down at the valley behind her. The wind was in her crest, the sky above, and an endless expanse of earth before her. This is what she was made for, really.

"Hurry up, Po," she called back to the struggling panda, "You can't be tired already?"

Po groaned, hefting up the small ridge, and sat down for a second, before

standing back up, and slinging the pack to his shoulders.

"Nope!" he exclaimed cheerfully, "Let's keep going!"

The panda and Phoenix walked meanderingly off into the distance, beginning the their Quest. After all, the journey of ten thousand miles, begins with a single step.

And wolf howls echoed through the night.

* * *

_Author's Note: I feel like I am drained... Ah well, here you go._


	14. The mountain

Chapter Thirteen

* * *

Po carried the weight of two.

Yes, he had been gullible enough to somehow end up carrying Fenghuang's things as well.

"I... Am going to be... So much more fit when we get back," he commented, as he struggled to keep up with the Phoenix's swift gait.

"Indeed you shall," came the reply, as Fenghuang stopped for a second, looking back towards the panda.

As always, the first few hours of walking were sporadic and uneven, but after a while, they both had begun to pace themselves, settling into a delightfully dreary rhythm, under the moon.

It was mostly a downhill walk, as they descended the far side of the mountains that encompassed the Valley of peace. For that, Po was thankful. The wind was cold, and the night was colder.

"I should have come in summer," Fenghuang remarked to herself wryly, "It would have been easier... Po, we shall have to stop off somewhere, get some warm clothing..."

"Don't worry, I have some already," Po reassured, trudging alongside, "Dad made sure I had everything..."

"Actually, I was saying that we should get some warm clothing for ME," the Phoenix laughed lightly, "It is cold in Nepal, it would be wise."

"Right... I knew that," Po grinned sheepishly.

Suddenly, the panda nearly stumbled, tripping over stubble in the way. There was no marked trail this high in the mountains, they would both be glad to get to lower and warmer areas.

Hours passed, into the night.

"Dawn is near," Fenghuang mused softly, "We should sleep some now, lest we come prey to it later."

"Good idea," Po agreed, puffing, "But where?"

Bed, for the short few remaining hours if the night, was for Po, leaning against the roots of a gnarly old tree. Fenghuang perched herself loftily in it's higher branches, and the two slept.

* * *

Morning came all too quickly, and Po awoke with a cramp in his back.

"Nasty root..." he groaned, rubbing his back, "Ouch... you would think, after all that Kung Fu fighting, that I would be resistant to cramps..."

He looked up. Fenghuang was still asleep, as far as he could tell, up in the tree. He's just let her sleep for now, and... make breakfast!

Fortunately, Mr. Ping would not let Po leave home without his cooking supplies, so he was ready.

"A log... kindling... some twigs..." he carefully arranged the fuel for the fire, then proceeded to... eh... how do you light a fire? He had always seen his dad make sure that the stove fire never went out, because it was hard to light...

"Oh great!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air, "I don't know how to start a fire. That's real helpful..."

He sat back down against the tree. Well, he could get some cold breakfast at least...

"Let's see..." he mumbled, going through his bag, "Rice. And more rice. And bread."

He grabbed the loaf of bread, something rare to China, and took a bite. Not bad... Do Phoenixes eat bread? He looked up. She was still asleep... Hmm, should he wake her up, or what? Po always had been nervous in waking girls...

"Um, Hey!" he called experimentally, not loud enough to hear, "You wanna, wake up, or what?"

As he got no response, he shrugged, and sat back down, waiting for her to wake up.

It was almost noon when she finally awoke, leaping from the tree frantically, as soon as her eyes were open.

"It's noon! Why didn't you wake me!? Come on, we have to make up for lost time!" she exclaimed, as she ran around, stuffing things back into the bag, "Come on!"

Po was about to say something, but she was already making her way down the mountainside.

"Hey! Wait up!" he called, grabbing the pack, and racing after her.

"Why the rush?" he asked, coming alongside her, with some difficulty.

"We have wasted much time," Fenghuang explained, slowing herself down, "It was not in idle that we left during the dead of night, Po. Why did you not wake me?"

"Because... I thought you would want to sleep," Po replied, "And I was trying to start a fire-"

The Phoenix stopped, dead in her tracks. "Did you make one?"

"No... I couldn't get it to start," the panda admitted shamefully.

Fenghuang seemed to relax. "Thank goodness, panda. For that, we are fortunate."

"Ok..." Po replied, trudging up to her, "So... you want some bread?" he offered her the loaf he was holding.

"There is no time to eat now, Po," she replied in turn. Then she looked sideways at the loaf. Po shrugged, and was about to take a bite-

"Actually, Po, hand me that," she said abruptly.

Po shrugged again, and handed her the loaf.

"No use passing out on the way, is it?" she remarked to herself, taking a bite. It was good, and it gave energy.

The mountain was finally beginning to even out, suggesting that they were reaching the bottom. Also, the flora, which had mostly consisted of shrubs and brush up to this point, had begun to change. Bushes and trees were growing taller and more common, and the rocks much less jagged and harsh.

For this, Po was extraordinarily grateful. His type was not meant to scramble up sheer cliffs, and he had no wings with which to fly.

Several hours later, however, the mountain still showed no further signs of ending, save that the trees and now bamboo began to grow in true forests, towering above the two traveler's heads. Walking slowed, because of the ever-thickening floral growth, which further impeded the decent.

"Will... this mountain... never end?" Po groaned, leaning over a short ditch, full of spiny bristles.

"Come on Po... Jump!" Fenghuang instructed, from the other side, "Take a leap of faith!"

"Uh... I'm not sure about this!" Po called back, with unnecessary volume for the short distance, "I don't think I can do this..."

"Oh, ye of little faith..." the Phoenix murmured, clasping a wing over her face.

"I have plenty of faith!" Po retorted, leaning forwards a little, "It's legs that I don't have much of!"

"Perhaps, if you throw the pack across first, Po, it would not be so difficult?" Fenghuang proposed, "Indeed, there are few who could leap across, at least while carrying that..."

"Ah... Good idea!" the panda replied, "Here, catch!"

With that, he tossed the large pack across the ditch, which Fenghuang narrowly avoided.

"Po!" she exclaimed, leaping backwards,

"You could have crushed me!"

Po winced, covering his eyes with his hand. "Ok... Here I come!"

He took a few steps back, and rushed forward, his legs pumping rapidly. The edge of the ditch came fast, and he leaped, sending his body high into the air...

Fenghuang watched him jump up, then land with a thump into the thorns.

"Po?" she called, stepping forward with concern, "Are you aright?"

"Thorns... All around me. There's THORNS all around me! Augh!" Po shouted back, "How am I going to get out of here?!"

"Er..." Fenghuang began, then stopped. Thorns. Part of the curse... And not something that the Sacred Phoenix had taken time to study.

"Don't move, panda," she instructed, "I'm considering."

"Well, I'M sinking!" the panda yelped, giving out several small yelps of pain.

"How is it, panda, that you can leap to great heights when practicing your Kung Fu, but not in the everyday?"

"I...don't know..." Po groaned, "But I really wish I did right now..."

Fenghuang sighed, and sat down lightly, taking her head in her wings. "Do you think you can extricate yourself?"

Po didn't answer, instead wriggling a little in test. It hurt. The thorns were like little daggers, piercing him through and through.

"Ow..." he answered finally, "No, I don't think I can..."

Fenghuang sighed again, this time heavier.

"Very well..." came her soft vocals, "Really though, this is most unfortunate...and unexpected..."

Then, she did something that seemed very odd to Po at the time. She laughed. Her laughter was an enchanting sound... but was rather unwelcome to Po, particularly considering his predicament.

"What's so funny?" Po groaned, almost sourly. He tried again to free himself. No luck.

"Oh, it's nothing," Fenghuang dismissed, a smile returning to her face, "I'm sorry, Po. It's just that I spent the last few years pondering this journey... I imagined the difficulties we would face... And here we are, trapped- by a bush. The last thing I would have expected..."

Po stopped. "When you put it that way" - he struggled a little more, and began to pull himself out - "It does sound kinda funny, doesn't it?"

He threw out his paw. "Give me a hand here!"

Fenghuang grabbed his paw with both wings, and pulled as hard as was ladylike to pull. It worked.

With a scratching, rough sound, Po finally came loose from the bush's nefarious grasp, and flopped down next to the Phoenix. It wasn't long before he was up again, though, and in a second, he was already making his way further down the mountain.

"Freedom!" Fenghuang heard him exclaim, "Now, mountain, you're going down! Or I'm going down you, maybe... Nevermind!"

The Phoenix started off after him, then stopped and turned around.

"Po!" she called, looking at the heavy pack left behind, "You forgot the pack!"

But Po either did not hear, or simply ignored her.

"You forgot the-" she began again, but stopped herself with a half-groan, "Ah... I shall have to carry it, then."

With a heave, she lifted the pack to her shoulders, and began to descend after the panda. Her wings, unaccustomed to carrying weight of any sort, were already beginning to get sore. That would never do, there was still far to go...

"Whoooaaaa!" Po's voice sounded out in front of her, and she hurried forwards to see what had happened-

And very nearly rushed straight down a steep cliff, heading down the mountainside. She was concerned, when she saw Po bouncing down the cliff-face... But he should be fine. It wasn't that large of a cliff...

And at the bottom... The road! They had reached the foot of the mountain!

Only the weight she was carrying stopped her from letting a caw escape her beak. Truth be told, she didn't like scrambling over bushes and stones either.

Po, down below, finally stopped his mad rolling, and came to rest in a convenient pile of dirt. He lay sprawled, unmoving, and breathing heavily, his face down.

"That was... awesome..." he said faintly, before collapsing down again.

Fenghuang closed her eyes, and took a deep breath... Before leaping from the cliff, the pack clutched in her talons, and swooping down to the 'resting' panda.

"Comfortable?" she asked blithely, landing lightly to the ground- although the pack landed much less so, thumping down rather heard. Fenghuang winced, swearing that she had heard something snap in there.

"Why yes, I was!" Po replied, with his usual enthusiasm, "Thank you for asking."

"Good. However, we must keep going..." the Phoenix informed, rustling her feathers, "It should be easier now... It appears that we have finally reached a road."

"We have?" the panda asked, scrambling to his feet, "Where? Oh yeah, we made it! We totally ROCKED that mountain! YEAH!"

"Now, we just follow the road!" Fenghuang exclaimed, sharing the panda's enthusiasm, "Come along then, or else we shall never arrive."

Po stood up, and brushed the dirt off his face with disgust, then made his way towards the road.

"Panda, aren't you forgetting something?" Fenghuang called out behind him.

"What?" he asked turning around, "What, what did I forget?"

Fenghuang made a nonplussed expression, and gestured to the pack. "The pack, panda. You are carrying the pack."

* * *

For the next three hours they walked slowly down the road, making conversation about anything that happened to come to mind. The walking was much easier than in the mountain, and the weather had turned warm for a change.

As they came around a bend in the road, a large heap of boulders met their view. They jutted out of the ground harshly, at odd angles, sharply in contrast with the green and flowing landscape around them.

The sight seemed out-of-place to Po... And his mind turned to what could live in those.. Then, by some random road trip, it turned to dragons.

Dragons. A subject of which he should become familiar, considering where they were going. The mysterious creature of myth and legend, the controller of water.

"Tell me about dragons, Yin," he asked presently, half turning to the Phoenix, "Are they really as awesome as the stories say they are? Can they really breathe fire, or, or, ooh, can they really make floods come out their mouths?!"

Fenghuang sighed, dropping her head. Either in memories, or sorrow, Po could not tell.

"Dragons are mystical creatures, Po," she said at last, "Their abilities vary greatly... But they are very rare."

"But you're a Phoenix, right?" Po questioned, with a hint of surprise, "In all the pictures, you are always with a dragon... Surely you know SOME things about dragons?"

"I am always with Long," Fenghuang corrected, "In all the pictures, I am depicted with Long, not just any dragon."

"Well, then..." Po countered, bobbing his head back and forth, "Tell me about Long! After all, we are waking HIM up..."

Fenghuang smiled to herself at the panda's persistence. "Very well panda, I shall tell you whatever you wish to know about Long. What do you wish to hear about?"

"Well... Tell me about..." Po thought, "Just anything... Like, will he be grumpy when you wake him up? I know lot's of people who are-"

"When YOU wake him up, Po," the Phoenix corrected again, "Remember, I failed. I actually do not know that, there is no sleep in heaven. It is possible that he will rip you to shreds on awakening."

She noticed Po suddenly pale. "But it is unlikely, to be honest," she added quickly, "Long was very reserved. Too reserved, if you..."

"Ok, and this is the GOOD guy?" Po asked with a wince, "The good guy might tear me apart... What would the BAD one do?"

"I never said that Long was 'good' did I?" Fenghuang replied mildly, stepping ahead of the panda, "I simply said that he was not evil. None of us are truly 'good', Po... Even I have my faults. Most of which I am discovering as we speak. But no-on is truly all evil either. Yaan... His heart has blackened beyond repair, but it was not always so... Even now, he has his uses in the hands of the Creator."

"Ok..." Po said, marking the knowledge down in his head, "So... About Yaan... What exactly are we going into here?"

"Do you really wish to know?" she asked, fixing her golden eyes on Po's own orbs. Po suddenly realized he did not.

They continued to walk for a few minutes, trudging along, just following the room.

"A geyser of flame... A pillar of fire..." Fenghuang said finally, not turning to the panda, "Yaan is power in form... He has no equal in the mortal world."

"So... He's powerful?" Po asked.

"He is. His power is fed by the fire tear, and he will not be defeated. Long was the only one even able to ever touch him..."

* * *

_"It is an obvious choice, Fenghuang... I am by far more masculine than my brother."_

_"And what brings you to that conclusion?" the Phoenix's voice was playful, almost teasing._

_Xundu, or now Zhu Yaan, as was his new title, raised his head, uncoiling from the massive tree he was resting under. His wings quivered almost imperceptibly, and smoke curled from his nostrils._

_He seemed to think something, and the smoke stemmed._

_"You do not realize?" he asked, "Allow me to show you..."_

_He reached upwards, and with sickening ease, snapped a massive branch from the tree above him, and brought the branch down. He held it in front of Fenghuang's face. The branch was larger than she was._

_"That, my dear," he said, with a voice dripping with false honey, "Is why I am superior to my brother."_

_He dropped the branch next to her with a crash, and glided past her with incredible grace, not sparing her a second glance..._

* * *

The sun was lowering quickly when Fenghuang broke from her somber memories.

Po had sensed her discomfort, and had only walked along beside her in silence. She was quiet, her eyes focused on the ground in front of her. Po knew that, even though she was standing right beside him, her mind was miles away...

Finally, he decided to speak.

"Hey, Yin... It's like, getting late..." he ventured hesitatingly, "Where are going to... y'know... Sleep?"

She did not answer. Po did not ask again.

Abruptly, a sound of singing came down the road, breaking Fenghuang from those thoughts again.

"What is that?" she asked, standing perfectly still, clutching Po's arm. Her head-crest stood erect. She was afraid..

"I don't know," Po replied, peering around the corner, "But I don't think it's anything very dangerous."

Around the corner, the source of the singing became apparent, as a short, tubby badger came around the corner, an axe slung across his shoulder. Although he was walking directly towards the two travelers, he did not seem to notice them-

Until he bumped right into Fenghuang's leg, giving her a start.

The badger looked up, lifting his cap from over his eyes. "Hello ma'am," he said, "Excuse me, I didn't see your legs there."

Fenghuang must have looked comical, because the badger felt compelled to add something.

"What? The're skinny legs!"

"E-excuse me?" the Phoenix stammered, altogether confused.

"No offense meant though, ma'am," the badger continued, "I mean, they are pretty legs to bump into!"

Fenghuang just stared, them elbowed Po. "Dragon Warrior," she whispered pointedly, "We should be going now..."

"Oh, so you're the Dragon Warrior, are ye?" the badger turned rapidly, interest shining in his small eyes, "I have always wanted to meet you! I'm a fan of yours, you might say..."

"Really?" asked Po, in his epic voice, "Well then, consider yourself gifted, tiny badger! I am Po, the bodacious Dragon Warrior!"

The badger seemed awed, his eyes grew wide-

Then he nodded. "My name's Dunthrie. I'm a badger... And pretty good with an axe."

"Really?" Po asked again, "Well, I-"

"Po, we should continue on our journey," Fenghuang reminded, "We must excuse ourselves, Dunthrie..."

"No problem," the badger downed cheerily, "I'll just tag along behind."

Fenghuang set of at a furious pace, and Po was forced to run to keep up with her.

"What's the matter?" he asked hurriedly, jogging up to her, "Why the rush?"

"I do not wish this badger to follow us," she replied with a slight hiss, "He does not seem... wholesome."

Po did not argue with her on this point. After all, it was not HIS legs that the badger had crashed into...

The Phoenix's blazing pace had brought them into a small community, and small houses lit up the darkening sky on either side of the path.

Finally, Fenghuang slowed, as she cautiously began to creep around the buildings, as if she was edgy that something may leap out at her.

Suddenly, a head poked out of one of the doorways, causing the Phoenix to leap back in alarm.

"Hey there!" the head said warmly, "Looking for- hey! Dunthrie!"

The creature left the doorway, revealing a black dog. It walked up to the badger, and from the warm greeting, it was obvious that the two knew each other.

After a few minutes of heated dialogue, in a language that Po could not decipher, the badger walked over to the panda.

"My friend here says that he wants me and my friends to stay the night with him..."

"Eh, so?" Po asked curiously.

"You count as a friend!" Dunthrie clarified animatedly, "You are my hero!"

"Ok..." Po said slowly, then gestured to Fenghuang, "What about her?"

Dunthrie thought a while, then said something to the dog. He responded, then the badger turned back to the panda.

"He says that he guesses she can come too..."

Po sent Fenghuang a hopeful glance. He did not want to spend another cramped night outside... She shook her head.

"Oh come on!" he whispered to her with his eyes.

Fenghuang struggled with herself a while, then finally relented. "Fine..."

With that, the dog pushed them inside the building... And Fenghuang was horrified.

"You did not mention that this was a bar!" she hissed.

* * *

_Author's Note: Poor Fenghuang! That is probably the last place she wanted to be! Anyway, I'm not sure if they actually had bars in ancient China, but they probably had something similar, so... Don't bother me about that..._

_Anyway, here's the next chapter! Thanks for all your reviews!_


	15. The Green Blossom

Chapter Fourteen

* * *

Golden eyes swept over the entire room in an instant, from the rather rough-looking characters in the corner, drinking some liquid from a frothy mug, to the dirty looking seats and tables sitting disorderly around the room.

She turned with a whirl, heading for the door without a seconds hesitation-

And was stopped by the impassible wall of blubber from Po's belly, who was struggling to fit through the narrow door. She stepped aside with a sigh, and waited impatiently for him to enter.

"Po, get out that door and let me out!" she hissed harshly, "I do not want to spend one more minute in here!"

Her mind was instantly filled with pictures of her experience in the tea-house. If people in a tea-house acted like that, what would they do in a BAR?

"Oh... come... on, Yin..." the panda replied, still struggling with the narrow door, "I don't want to spent the night under another tree!"

"You are a male, and obviously accustomed to sleeping in filthy, dirty, and absolutely disgusting locations," Fenghuang fumed quietly, trying her best not to draw attention to herself, "I on the other hand, prefer the clean, simple, natural, and SAFE tree... It's a bar, for heaven's sake! Let me out of here!"

"I wouldn't call it a bar," Po replied, drawing back a little at the Phoenix's accusations, "It's more of a... Communal location!"

"It's also warm..." came a muffled voice from behind the panda, "Give me a hand, will ya?"

Dunthrie, eager to get inside the familiar, warm space of the building, began pushing with all his strength on the panda's rear. The black dog helped him, pushing the panda, in hopes of popping him through the door.

"Put your back into it, laddie!" Dunthrie groaned, jamming his shoulder into Po's fine tush.

"A communal place my foot!" Fenghuang hissed, desperation creeping into her voice, "I shall not stay in this place, panda!"

"Oh come on, Yin, give it a chance!" Po exclaimed, drawing several looks from the other 'customers', "Besides, it's not like I'm going anywhere right now..."

Fenghuang could have argued, but she didn't feel up to it. She could have forced her will... She was a sacred Phoenix, endowed with special abilities, but she didn't feel fighty right now. She felt completely defeated.

Her head-crest sank, and she deflated, lowering her head.

"V-very well, Dragon Warrior..." she sighed, "But I place you in charge of my safety."

"Oh... Good!" Po groaned, forcing his legs out, trying to escape the door, "Just hold on a sec, will you?"

The Phoenix sighed again, and slowly made her way to an isolated table. She looked at it with absolute disgust, rubbing a feather along the wood and looking at it, before sitting down quietly.

Po, with a 'pop', finally made his way through the door, and walked over to the Phoenix.

"Do they actually have sleeping rooms here?" she heard him ask Dunthrie.

"Yeah, that they do, laddie," he answered, "Best in the province, eh?" he added, speaking to the dog.

"I highly doubt that," Fenghuang muttered to herself, looking distastefully at the... Menu?

So Po was right... It wasn't quite a bar after all, it was a restaurant/hotel, doing a pretty good impersonation of one.

Suddenly, Po sat down next to her with a thump, clunking a large cup of something frothy to the table in front of him.

"What is that?" she asked suspiciously, edging away...

"Rassberry juice," the panda replied readily, "Why?"

"No reason," Fenghuang smiled, sighing with relief. She could not afford having her sole companion going drunk on her.

Her relief was short-lived, however, as Dunthrie sat himself down with a mug of... something.

Fenghuang frowned at the badger across the table from her. The badger only gave a cheesy grin in return.

"You want anything, then?" he asked her apologetically.

"No, thank you very much," she replied icily. She wouldn't trust the water here.

"What, you have to have something... Come on then, what'll ya' have?" the badger persisted, "A badger never let's a lady go untended... a water perhaps?"

"Dunthrie..." Fenghuang sighed defeatedly, "I'll take a water, thank you."

"That's the way, Yin," Po whispered, along with a glug of raspberry drink, "Try out new things."

"Water is hardly a new thing, Po," she whispered back, still looking around uncomfortably. It was painfully obvious that she did not like it here, and stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Ah, well," Dunthrie groaned, rising to his feet, "I'll get you a water then!"

He walked away rapidly towards the counter, leaving her with Po. She sat in silence, looking around at everyone.

"The juice is good!" Po murmured, his mouth buried in his cup, "You should try some!"

"No thank you, panda," she sighed back. You could never tell what was in these drinks in places like this. She wasn't going to touch the water, not if she could help it at all.

Dunthrie seemed to have become distracted, and was talking excitedly to the person behind the counter, his lips moving rapidly and animatedly.

Fenghuang growled slightly. This was not fair in the least! How could the panda expect her to stay in here? Her kind was certainly not designed for locations like this...

She picked up the menu again, and began to read it in pretense, hiding behind the sheet of paper. The words 'Green Blossom' were written in faded letters across the top. She instantly thought of mold.

Dunthrie suddenly slid back into the chair quickly, holding a truly massive mug of something brown. Fenghuang hoped that wasn't her water.

"You wouldn't believe it!" he was chattering quickly, "They have good old European ale here! Do you want some?"

"Ah... No thanks," Po waved quickly, "I'm good!"

"Suit yourself! All the more for me then!"

Fenghuang gave him an icy glare. Devil's drinker... And what had happened to her water? Not that she was particularly eager for it, of course.

"Oh, sorry ma'am," the badger abruptly stated apologetically, "I seem to have become distracted. What was it you wanted again? Water?"

"Yes, but it's no trouble," she smiled back, too quickly to be subtle, "I do not require anything."

"Come on, Yin," Po frowned, "You've only eaten one tiny loaf of bread today! No-one can live on that!"

The Phoenix sighed with irittation. Some loyal panda he was...

"Po, I really do not need anything," she said again, "You should not trouble yourself."

"Now, I won't allow that, ma'am," Dunthrie interjected, "As I said before, a badger never lets a lady go untended. Let me go get you something."

"Oh, no thank you, please..." Fenghuang stuttered quickly, "I am perfectly copacetic."

"You're what?" the badger replied, raising an eyebrow, "Ma'am, is that even a word then?"

The Phoenix sighed, placing her wing over her face. "It means 'in excellent order', Dunthrie... And I truly mean that."

"Ok..." the badger said, in a drawn out sort of voice, "Well, I'll get me something then! How about you, eh?"

This last remark was aimed at Po, who was taking another slurp of raspberry juice.

"Oh...yeah!" he exclaimed, setting the cup down, and picking up his menu, "Let me just see what I can get here!"

He then proceeded to order almost every item on the list. Dunthrie's jaw dropped.

"Eh, ya know what?" he said quickly, changing his mind, "You oughta just come with me and order yourself. I don't rightly think I can remember all that, then!"

"Ahhh... Ok," Po sighed, standing up, "I'll get myself a little, you know, something."

With that, he promptly walked away, Dunthrie trailing behind like a little envoy. It happened so fast, that Fenghuang had no time to react. One minute, the panda was beside her, and the next, she was suddenly alone.

Instantly, it seemed like every shadow enlarged, and every eye was focused on her. She swept the room warily, eyeing each and every individual with paranoid glares.

Sure, she always liked to see the best in people... But she wasn't blind. If ANYONE went to this place, they either had very poor taste, or were dirt-poor. And her walking in, in her outlandish yet rich-looking skirts and robes, would be like dangling jewelry in their faces.

Where was Po?

He certainly was taking a while... Or was that just her?

She heard the door open and shut, and her eyes instantly flew to it. A cloaked figure was walking in, face completely hooded. It walked over to a bench, and sat opposite from her, legs crossed. She could see a glint of white beneath the hood...

And the sparkle of eyes, watching her.

She prayed that it was just curiosity that kept the strangers eyes riveted to her, but she sensed something far more mysterious beneath that hood...

"Hurry, Dragon Warrior!" the whispered to herself quietly, sending glances in the stranger's direction. He was still there, still watching...

The door opened and closed again, and another animal walked in slowly, also hooded. It sat next to the first one, and eyed Fenghuang with curiosity.

She turned away quickly, muttering to herself. Some protector this panda was!

Ah great! Here comes a third... This one, at least, was not wearing a hood. It was just sitting there openly, looking at her. A cougar.

Oh come on! Why was she so obvious!? Every eye in the room must be on her...

The first stranger stood up, and stepped forwards, causing Fenghuang to gulp and look away again. She was hyperventilating a little. Come on. Calm down... Calm down...

Then the stranger sat down, this time right opposite from her. As in, right at the same table as her.

She turned to the stranger. Enough was enough.

"Can I help you?" she questioned, in possibly the iciest tone she had ever used. Her wings twitched beneath the table, quivering to a rythm that was felt but not seen. She was not about to be taken by surprise this time...

"No, your grace..." the stranger said, looking about, "Where is Po? Has just left you here!?"

Fenghuang drew back, surprised by the voice.

Then she smiled, breathing out in a long sigh of relief. She knew this voice!

"Shen!" she exclaimed, again, quieter, "Shen? What are you doing here?"

Shen shook his head beneath his hood. "I could not idly sit in the Jade Palace. No-one would have wanted me there anyway... So I followed you."

She smiled broadly. "I am so very glad you did! I... I hate this place!" she sent a glare towards where Po was 'supposed' to be, "And I do not like sitting by myself, but that is where I am... Would you mind sitting next to me?"

She scooted sideways on her seat, making room for him.

Shen shook his head. "No thank you, Yin..." he said quickly, "But I will sit here."

To be honest, Shen was uncomfortable with the idea of sitting next to the queen of the birds, just as a child may be afraid of a seemingly imposing adult. Sitting next to her would be a thing you just didn't do.

"Where is Po?" he asked again, looking around, "What is he doing, just leaving you here?"

"He went to order his food, but I don't know where he is now..." the Phoenix replied calmly, "But, it is no fault of his. A creature of his prodigious size must require a good deal of sustenance."

Her mood had improved dramatically since she had discovered Shen. It made her feel infinitely better, to know that there was a familiar soul with her. She felt safer, more at home.

Shen looked around with distaste. If he could at all helped, he would have given this place a wide berth, but Fenghuang and Po had gone in, and he could hardly be expected to wait outside, could he?

"It is certainly no luxury establishment, that's for certain," he mused, turning to Yin, "How is it that the sacred Phoenix comes to eat here? You seem to show up in the oddest places."

"I was cruelly misled!" she exclaimed, but then softened, "But it was by my own fault. I allowed Po to take this badger named Dunthrie's advice, and spend the night here-"

Shen suddenly coughed, gagging on nothing. "You? Spend the night here? I should advise you not to, m'lady..."

"I should have advised myself the very same thing, had I but known what the interior of this establishment looked like. But now I am committed, it is far too dark to be leaving again..."

"Especially with those nocturnal wolves on your tail," Shen added, "As well as that tiger. They started following you soon after I left, I had to be careful not to lead them to you."

Fenghuang's eyes widened. "We are being followed? So soon?"

"Indeed," came the peacock's reply.

"Well," the Phoenix gasped, half standing in alarm, "Is this not one of the most likely places to meet them? Even now, they could be standing in here, watching..." she looked around suspiciously, and sat back down.

"Perhaps," Shen considered, "But I doubt they would come in. They are searching for you, and this would be one of the last places I would expect to find you."

"True," Fenghuang replied, a little calmer, "Even I would not expect to find myself in such a place."

"In any case, you are not alone," Shen reminded, leaning forward, "You have me... And you have Po, at least you will, when he finds the time of night to arrive."

"He is ordering food... But he shouldn't take this long. I wonder... Where is he?" the Phoenix questioned, looking around anxiously, for the fiftieth time.

* * *

Where was Po? He was heading back to the table, after a very long time spent arguing over the size of his order. The chef had not enjoyed the monumental task that the panda had appointed for him. He had, however, enjoyed it when Po came in and began cooking the food himself.

The badger, Dunthrie, had watched the spectacle with wide eyes, giving out helpful 'advice' from the sidelines.

But now, he was finished cooking, and was making his way back to the table. At least he was, when he saw something that disturbed him.

Someone in a brown cloak was sitting across from Fenghuang! A stranger! Who was that? And what was he doing here?

"Take the platter, Dunthrie," Po said grimly, his exes fixed on the stranger, "I'm going in."

"Take the- YAGH!" Dunthrie exclaimed, abruptly finding himself the bearer of a VERY heavy platter of food, "Oy! Ye spilled my ale! Where are ye going then laddie?"

The badger was met with no response, as Po was already making his way towards the table.

"Agh..." he muttered, "Heroes these days... No respect for good, honest drink."

Po rushed down between the tables and chairs, headed for the mysterious hooded figure. Said figure moved his arm, and pushed away the cup of raspberry juice in front of it.

"HIYAH!" Po exclaimed, leaping on the table, "Stop right there, villain! Your reign of raspberry juice theft, ends now!"

He vaguely heard Fenghuang shreik, as the raspberry juice flooded all over the table, and on to her lap.

"Po!" the stranger yelped, leaping back in obvious alarm, "What on earth is the matter with you? Get off the table!"

Po bit his lip in embarrassment, climbing down from the table hastily.

"My clothes!" Fenghuang complained quietly, "They are purple!"

"I was going to ask about them," Shen remarked, tilting his head, "I have to ask about your tailor sometime..."

"Shen?" Po gasped incredulously, leaning forwards in astonishment, "Wha-What are you doing here? Master Shifu-"

"Specifically said I was not to accompany you, oddly enough," Shen finished, a tad bit darkly, his eyebrows knotting together angularly, "A rather short-sighted decision on his part, if you were to ask me."

"So...so..." Po stuttered helplessly in reply, his arms waving erratically in the air, "Why are you HERE then?"

Shen raised an eyebrow with an exasperated sigh. "Since when did I blindly follow the orders of stale old Kung Fu masters?"

"But won't he like, kinda..." Po semi-whined, stepping forward a little in comical concern, "Y'know... Kick your butt?"

"I-I..." Shen began in surprise, then faltered, "He would try to, perhaps... But I am far away from him right now. I shall burn that bridge when I come to it."

The three sat in silence, just sort of staring at each other blankly.

"So," Fenghuang began, hoping to open up the alleyways of conversation again, "Your Master, does he-

"AAAAGGGHHHHH!" a battle cry rang through the stuffy room, and Shen had barely time to duck under the vicious axe-strike that was aimed at his neck.

"What is this?" he yelled, ducking hastily again, in time to see a short badger swinging at him wildly. Finally, he managed to get in close enough to knock the axe from it's hands, and pin it by the throat.

"What was the meaning of this little attack?" he snarled, birdlike, in the mammal's face, giving each and every intimidating gesture that said 'I'm going to kill you if you make one false move'.

"I'm distracting him, Dragon Warrior!" was the only reply from the badger, who wriggled a little beneath the peacock's grasp, "Hurry lad, make yer move!"

Po only stood, dumfounded, his mouth slightly agape in befuddlement. "What?"

"Get him!" the badger reinstated, more clearly this time.

"Panda?" Shen asked in bemusement, looking up at Po with a mixture of amusement an confusion, "What is this...?"

"Wow, Dunthrie!" Po finally exclaimed, getting a hold on the situation at last, "Shen is a good guy! Don't just run in attacking like that! And..." - he looked around, as if searching for something - "where did you put the food?"

"So I should let him live then?" Shen asked suspiciously, withdrawing the silver knife that no-one had noticed, "As you appear to know him..."

"Well actually," Fenghuang began, but Po interrupted her.

"Yeah, you should probably let him up," he said slowly, scratching his head, "We wouldn't want to give him a back cramp or anything..."

"Oy! Are you saying my back is weak?" Dunthrie yelped from the floor, shoving Shen off, "I could out back you, laddie, any day of the year! Why don't you pick the day then, laddie? Why don't ye!"

He got of the floor, and began bouncing up and down in front of the panda.

"Calm down badger!" Po pleaded, defending himself from the smaller mammal's admittedly puny fist-punches.

Fenghuang sighed in aggravation. This badger... Hardly two hours of knowing him, and she already couldn't stand him...

Shen watched the two mammals, and groaned, before turning to Fenghuang. "Yin, please say that this person is not with you...?"

Fenghuang gasped slightly, looking up from her sticky clothes. "Thankfully, he is not," she answered, with sincere graditude on her face, "He is simply someone whom we met on the road. Actually, it is on account of him that we are in here at all."

"Ahhh..." Shen replied simply, his eyes still fixed on the two black-and-white creatures in front of him. This was becoming a gathering of whites. A white peacock, a white Phoenix, a black and white panda and badger, against a white tiger and a white dragon. Coincidence? Shen no longer believed in coincidences.

"...and besides, I left the food on that table away over there!" Dunthrie was saying earnestly, and more than a little angrily, "So there's no reason to get yer head in a bunch then, laddie!"

"Oh, well why didn't you just say so!?" Po exclaimed, throwing his arms out with a sigh, "I mean, come on! I thought you had eaten it all..."

"Do I look like I'm capable of eating that pile of slop?" the badger retorted, sitting down heavily, "Besides, I would have told you, but you weren't listening! That's the problem with you heroes, ya' have no respect for us commoners!"

"Please, badger," Shen interjected icily, leaning towards Dunthrie, "You are in no place to state your opinion on that matter, especially as you are not even part of our party. Why you are even carrying food is beyond me."

The badger turned to the peacock, obviously ready with a fiery retort, but then stopped cold at the sight of the Shen's snow white feathers, and red head-crest. An unmistakable face.

"L-lord..." he quavered, and then sank down in silence, shivering in badly hidden fear.

Shen lowered his head in dismay. His hood had fallen down! He pulled it up quickly.

Why were people still afraid of him? He supposed they had good reason... But it still disheartened him to no end.

Po, on the other hand, was amused to no end by the badger's reaction.

"Shen, do happen to have any CANNONS handy? Hmmm?" he needled, watching Dunthrie's face with amused seriousness.

Shen dipped his head slightly with a groan. "Shut up, panda."

"Ok, ok..!" Po defended hastily, "Just having a little fun, Shen, no need to... Sorry."

"Forgiven, Po... but I do not appreciate that stereotype... At all."

And there was silence at the table. Po uneasily removed himself from the situation, and went to fetch the food that Dunthrie had left.

"You did reform, eh?" said badger asked nervously, looking up from the corner of his eye.

Shen sat in silence, almost as of he had not heard. Dunthrie was on the verge of asking his question again, when the peacock finally answered.

"For my part," he said slowly, almost sadly, "I have tried."

"That's nice," the badger whispered to himself discreetly.

Po reappeared, carrying the huge platter of steaming food to the table. He had cooked it himself... And even Fenghuang had to admit that it made her hungry.

"Ah... Eat up, I guess," Po instructed, placing it carefully to the table with a flourish, "I cooked it myself, Yin... So you don't have to worry about the ingredients."

"That is reassuring, Po," the Phoenix replied with a glowing smile, "If your soup was anything to go by, I shall enjoy this!"

It was true. For such a rinky-dink place, the 'Green Blossom' certainly had a large variety of ingredients for Po to choose from. Fried shrimp, sugar donuts, and rice and vegetables in a delicious steaming sauce. There was no doubt, that Chinese really could cook.

However, Fenghuang's first experience with it made her glad that she had ordered the water.

Squid. Looked harmless enough...But boy, did it turn out spicy! The sauce was almost invisible...

But sent her grabbing the cup of water, and downing it in a gulp. (In a ladylike fashion, of course.)

Hours passed, just quietly eating and talking... And unrestfully watching, in Shen's case. It seemed that Yin's paranoia had transferred to him, and he was looking around every time there was any noise... At all. Which was difficult, when you are sitting in possibly one of the noisiest places in China...

Yet still, his eyes roved the room, till they settled upon one thing that disturbed him. A figure, darkly cloaked, just like himself.

Shen squinted, and took a closer look. Behind the hood, he could see the twinkle of an eye, appearing from time to time in the gloom. Red. Like his own.

But what was most disturbing, was that the eye did not seemed to be fixed on Po, or even on Fenghuang, both obvious figures. The cloaked figure was watching HIM. It had it's eyes fixed on him, never moving off the white peacock.

For some reason, Shen felt a wave of cold terror rush through him, filling every ounce of his being, as if his subconscious had recognized the figure, and known to be afraid- then the feeling disappeared, before he could properly grasp it's meaning.

The peacock discreetly moved back, sliding closer to Po, sitting next to him. He knew the creature type. That slightly hunched sitting position was unmistakable.

Wolf. A creature that Shen personally wished he could never see again.

He leaned towards the nearby panda, about to share the information with him-

When suddenly, a large troop of badgers abruptly interrupted, seemingly coming out of nowhere.

"Dunthrie!" the one in front said loudly, obvious recognition showing in his eyes, "Where on this good earth have you been hiding?"

Fenghuang groaned slightly. The last time the badger had met a friend, she had ended up in here. She shuddered to think what a whole troop of them could do.

"I been around, Jui Yan!" Dunthrie exclaimed excitedly, leaping from his seat, "Where have you been?"

The Phoenix rolled her eyes, as the badger walked off to join his friends. Hopefully, he would have a nice time, but would stay with them...

Or not, as a round of rowdy laughter erupted behind her, the raucous sound of a response to some joke.

Quiet was immediately destroyed in the small restaurant, as it turned out... Both Dunthrie and his friends LOVED this imported ale stuff. First they were laughing, rather loudly... Then they started telling stories...

But then, as drunkenness reached it's peak... They started to sing. And none too tunefully, either.

Fenghuang discreetly covered her ears.

The songs were promoting the consummation of ale, and must have been made up as they went along. With all of her being, the Phoenix tried to blot out the noisome sounds...

But it was to no avail, as more and more 'customers' joined the song.

Shen frantically tried to keep his eyes on the stranger in the corner... But all those badgers! They were dancing around... It hurt his eyes! It was like one person, duplicated times twenty...

And the noise! It was deafening! The words remained imprinted on his memory for a long time after, although only the first verse could easily come to mind.

_Have another mug of ale_

_Have it by cup or glass or pail_

_Don't have it then make a wail_

_But have another mug of ale!_

_You can drink your fancy wine_

_That is all very fine_

_And I'm sure you'll have a jolly time..._

_But I'll have another mug of ale!_

Dunthrie stood up on a table, and began singing a new verse, one that he was quite possibly making up as he went.

_When ye uh... Come home_

_And when ye are gonna groan_

_You can look up to the sky_

_And grab a mug flying by!_

The place burst into another round of raucous laughter. Dunthrie, encouraged by the response, burst into a second verse, this time much more enthusiastically.

_Take another mug of ale_

_Take it and glug without fail_

_Leave a little spit-trail_

_But have another mug of_-

On his last verse, the badger flung up his own mug to show the point- forgetting that it was still quite full.

The mug's contents flew into the air, and dropped down with a splash... Right on Dunthrie's face.

The black and white mammal spluttered, trying to clear the liquid from his eyes, and tottered around, again forgetting something... That he was standing on the edge of a table.

The other patrons of the restaurant let our loud guffaws of laughter, as he nearered the edge, then stepped closer.

Then he stepped off. For a second, he teetered there, frantically trying to keep his balance, his arms waving- before falling down with a loud THUMP onto his back, landing (fortunately for the badger) directly on top of a bear, who was in mid sip of his drink-

"PHHUUUAAA!" the hapless ursine coughed, sending a spray of liquid into the air. The mug fell to the ground, and shattered.

And everything was quiet. All the room seemed to hold it's breath, as the bear slowly turned his gaze to the broken cup, then to the liquid staining the floor... Then, lastly, and with an aura of doom, his eyes turned to the badger on his belly.

"What was the meaning of that stunt?!" he roared, standing up and pulling up Dunthrie by his throat in one, swift movement.

"I-it was an accident..." the poor smaller mammal quivered, hanging such in midair, "Y-you could c-c-clearly see that it was all the mug's fault..."

"Well MY cup is RUINED!" the bear growled terribly, "And the only thing I saw was YOU falling on me!"

"W-well... I-I apologize, sir..." Dunthrie shook, struggling slightly, "I-I'll buy ya a new one..."

The bear seemed to calm down a little, and placed the badger down on the ground with a drop. "Well, you had better," he stated deeply.

Dunthrie breathed out, seeming to recover his nerve. "Talk about anger issues then..." he murmured quietly.

Unfortunately, he didn't count on bear's sharp hearing, and the next thing he knew, he was flying into the air, and slamming into a crocodile, where he fell with a BANG!

"See... What... I... Mean?" he mumbled, before falling over on his back, stone-cold unconscious.

The crocodile eyed the ursine. "Hey mate," he informed coldly, "Yer badger just broke my plate!"

The bear growled, and responded with a roar, charging at the crocodile with his arms outstretched.

"So that's the way it is, is it?" the crocodile grinned toothily, crunching his knuckles, "ARGH!" he flung himself at the bear, and the two grappled loudly, rolling over and over on the floor.

Fenghuang abruptly found the wall very interesting, while Po stared with open eyes, watching every detail. Shen groaned- then ducked, narrowly avoiding a flung piece of broccoli that would have ruined his dignity.

The crocodiles tail collided with a chair, and both the seat and it's owner spilled on the ground. The beaver who had just been displaced lunged at the crocodile with a yell, landing a blow to his chin.

The bear who had started this all reared up- and was dealt a blow on the head by Dunthrie, cackling maniacally.

"See how you like it then!" he laughed, wielding a chair like a weapon, and repeatedly bashing it up and down on whoever came near.

Abruptly, the black dog who had invited them in entered the room, looking in shock at the mess everywhere.

"What happened here?" he exclaimed.

The room went completely quiet, as if a spell had been cast over it. The crocodile was biting the bear on the leg, who was frantically trying to reach Dunthrie, who was bashing the beaver with his chair, who was punching the crocodile on the back.

"Wha-Wha..." the dog stammered, "What have you done to my dining room?"

There was silence.

"Erm... It was his fault?" Dunthrie attempted weakly, pointing at the bear with a cheesy grin.

"MY fault?" the bear began in a vicious growl, "Why, you-"

"STOP IT!" the dog barked, "I don't care who started it! Now clean this up! All of you!"

He turned to Po and Shen, sitting quietly in the corner. "You too!" he commanded brusquely, gesturing to the pile of broken dishes and chairs.

"But we didn't-" Po began, but the dog interrupted.

"Don't care, just do it!" he turned, and stormed out with a sigh.

Po and Shen shared a glance, then they both shrugged, and began picking up bits and pieces quickly.

The dog stuck his head back in. "Very sorry, ma'am," he said, obviously addressed to Fenghuang, "I do try to keep this place orderly..."

"Why don't she have to do nothing?" the bear grumbled grumpily, lifting a broken chair easily.

"Because she's a lady," the dog said simply.

Shen shook his head vacantly. That was something he had never agreed with... But he made an exception for Fenghuang. Still, that phrase brought back memories...

Then he looked up. Everything was as it should be... Except for the mess.

But something was wrong. Something was missing...

Somewhere during the commotion, the stranger had slipped out into the night.

* * *

_Author's note: You may be wondering why this took so long... Well,_

_1: My mother took my IPad._

_2: I still had some writer's block._

_3: Our Internet fried._

_4: I forgot the storyline..._

_A series of unfortunate events. Anywho, here's a slowish chap, hope you enjoy!_


	16. A best enemy

Chapter Fifteen

* * *

The night was quiet. Morning was not far away.

Yet, Po, Shen, and Fenghuang were all wide awake, each staring out into the cold, dark air.

Earlier, Shen had informed them of the stranger he had seen earlier. The news shocked Fenghuang and Po...

So, they had prepared against a night attack.

Although they each had rented their own rooms, they never slept in them. They had all trooped over to Dunthrie's room, and evicted the poor badger- until Shen remembered that he could whine and give the whole scheme away. So now, he was tied up, (rather comfortably) in the corner of the small room, while the three others waited anxiously for something to happen.

Fenghuang looked around the room for the hundredth time that night, standing by the window with the shades drawn.

It was clean and orderly, starkly contrasting with the ruckus-filled rooms of the restaurant below. The sounds still drifted up through the floor, which would have made it hard to sleep had they been trying anyways.

"You will be able to tell when attackers enter," Shen stated morbidly, as if guessing her thoughts, "When they all go quiet below us. Well, either that... Or a blood-curdling scream of the dying."

Fenghuang felt shivers run involuntarily down her spine, hearing the peacock's thoughts expressed aloud.

"I would prefer if you kept that to yourself, Shen," she told him quietly. The walls were paper; someone could hear them of they were too loud.

"Excuse me," the white peacock apologized, "Just a remnant strain of thought. I apologize."

"It is fine..." the Phoenix sighed, her head-crest slightly lowering, "I am unused to your descriptions of violence. They frighten me, perhaps more than their wont."

"Mmmmmmmm-mmm!" Dunthrie mumbled through his gag, rocking a little in his binds.

"Pay him no mind, panda!" Shen said, almost harshly, noticing Po's worried expression, "He is perfectly comfortable."

"Yeah, but we Kung Fu masters aren't supposed to tie people up..." the panda replied, leaning over, "We could get in a lot of trouble, if we aren't-"

"Well, then we are fine," Shen responded, half-turning, "As I am no Kung Fu master."

Po had no reply to this, so he simply sat down.

Shen continued to stand in silence, as he pondered something in his head, over and over.

Well, actually... Someone, would be nearer the mark.

Who was that stranger!? It was certainly someone he knew, but whom? One person in particular kept reoccurring to him, but he rejected it each time ardently.

Wolf Boss. Hao. The boss wolf.

Shen's commander.

But he was dead! He was dead! Shen would never forget it, throwing three gleaming knives at the wolf's chest, hearing them impact, then seeing the look on his face as he slowly toppled over. The memory was vivid in his mind. Indeed, he had relived it several times in his dreams. It still pained him.

Hao was dead. But if not him, then who? Shen had known a lot of wolves in his life, and had never bothered to learn all their names. It was quite possible that one of them had come back to get revenge on his old master...

"Which I absolutely would deserve..." the peacock muttered to himself under his breath.

"Would you? Have you not done enough restoration?" Fenghuang asked softly, giving Shen a start. He hadn't realized that she was right behind him.

"No, not really," he said at long last, after getting over his surprise, "In reality, I will have never done fully enough... But certainly not to the wolves. To them, I have never atoned... Ironic, considering my past with them..."

"Chances happen oddly, Shen," the Phoenix reminded, with a sage-like expression on her face, "Perhaps you will get the chance, somewhere during this journey."

She walked back to the bed, and sat down. "After all, the road is long, and the path is perilous. We may encounter any manner of creatures."

"Ooh, yeah! Just the sound of that sounds cool!" Po interjected enthusiastically from his seat on the floor, "Just think, y'know. We are gonna have one awesome story to tell the others when we get back!"

"If we ever get back," Shen reminded darkly, remaining motionless by the window, "And if we survive the night. It is quite possible, pa- Po, that we shall not."

"Yeah, but you gotta hope for the best, and sometimes that is what happens," Po responded quietly, "If anyone should know the power of additude, it's me. Did I ever tell you about the Dragon Scroll-"

"Yes," Shen answered quickly, "Several times, in fact, panda."

"Oh, well ok," Po said, a teensy bit snubbed, "Well, the point is, additude can be powerful. You shouldn't forget that."

"I never shall, Po," the peacock responded somberly, his eyes still fixed on the window.

"Well... I believe I shall attempt to get some sleep," Fenghuang informed the others coolly, stepping away from the window, "Wake me if it is needed. Do not hesitate, Po."

The last remark was addressed in a stern voice, as the Phoenix remembered the earlier morning, with the tree.

She sat on the thin floor-cusion, and tucked her head beneath her wing neatly.

Shen watched her for a second, already asleep. He envied her... He could certainly not even attempt to rest. He was one of the more restless dispositions in nature.

Behind him, Po stretched his arms and yawned heavily. It seemed sleep was luring him with it's seductions as well.

The panda sat down heavily, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Try and get some sleep, Shen," he yawned again, the very picture of a sleepy old bear, "It won't do you any good to be all tired out tomorrow."

Shen shook his head, silencing the several retorts to that particular statement that ran through his mind.

"I'll, just... Keep watch for a while, Po," he said slowly, turning away from the window at last, "But don't let me stop you from resting."

"Suit yourself," came the drowsy reply, as Po lay down on his side, and closing his eyes.

"Well, I suppose that just leaves you and I, eh?" Shen said with a half-grin, turning towards the still bound-and-gagged Dunthrie in the corner, "We shall stay awake a small while longer."

The peacock closed his eyes and sat down, not to sleep, but just to think. He was trying to calculate, by how far the journey was, and how far they could travel per day...

How long would it take them to get to Mount Malaku?

He knitted his brow, then opened his eyes again in frustration. He had lost count, again.

Po was already asleep. Several loud snores have attest to that. They weren't too bad, however, and Shen was able to tone them out and continue his thought.

So deeply was he wrapped in his thoughts, that he never noticed when his thoughts turned to dreams, and his dreams into sleep.

* * *

_Wind. Rushing, swirling wind, so thick it is tangible. It whirls by in a thousand seamless threads of grey, washing a white feathered body in a pure and ethereal bath._

_Height. Height that makes the clouds below look like snow over the ground. The world stretches endlessly in all directions, a mighty and beautiful city beneath._

___Then...blackness._

* * *

Shen awoke slowly, surprised to find that there was still light in the world,

after the darkness of his dreams. Pale, grey new light was streaming through the cracks in the curtain, indicating that morning had come at last.

He stood up quickly, realizing that he had fallen asleep. He shook his head rapidly, to clear the remaining pieces of drowsiness from his head, and looked around.

Everything was still. Fenghuang and Po were still blissfully asleep, looking serene and peaceful in the dim light. Staring at them, at the slow rise and fall of their bodies, seemed to make Shen wish he could join them, in whatever faraway place one went while the outer coating of flesh rested.

He shook his head again. Observing someone while they slept struck his as a little bit creepy, and he had better things to do. Like wake them up.

He stepped forward a half-step, and opened his mouth to gently wake them.

A loud, screaming caw erupted from his throat before he could stop it, and both panda and Phoenix leapt to their feet

in an instant, eyes wide in tumultuous alarm. Fenghuang set herself ablaze, light streaming from her feathers for one instant, before she cooled down in relief.

"Shen," she breathed, "I thank you for the arousing summons, but perhaps next time you could make it a little more gentle on the ears?"

Shen covered his beak with his wing unconsciously, his face turning three shades of pink in embarrassment.

"Whoa, my ears! I think they might be bleeding!" Po exclaimed good-naturedly, although he was a little angry at the peacock for ruining his sleep.

Shen blushed further, although it was not noticeable in the dim morning light.

"Alright, can we please forget about it now?" he half-whispered harshly, "We have better things to be doing."

"Oh right!" Po exclaimed in a loud whisper, "I wonder if we were attacked while we were sleeping!?"

"Not likely, we should have heard it, shouldn't we?" Fenghuang reasoned.

"Well, I'm gonna see anyway," the panda replied nonchalantly, turning towards the door in a rush. The door opened as Po exited, then closed again, leaving the two birds alone.

Well, almost alone. Shen turned to Dunthrie, struggling uselessly in his binds.

"What are we going to do with him?" he asked absently, pondering the question in his head.

"Can we not just untie him and leave him be?" Fenghuang responded softly, eyeing the badger with a look of pity. Although it was no secret that she did not like Dunthrie, she still disliked seeing him abused so.

"He has heard too much," Shen informed, using the same tone he would have when he was still a lord, judging a criminal or petty thief. "If we simply let him be, he would be a ripe target for... kidnapping and torturing. I should have thought of that when we brought him in here."

"Well then, what are we to do with him?" Fenghuang questioned, raising her head-crest, "Shen, we may just have to take that risk."

"We could untie him..." Shen mused. Dunthrie nodded hurriedly.

"...and cut out his tongue, so that he could never speak again," the peacock finished cruelly. Dunthrie shook his head quickly. Fenghuang looked horrified.

"No, don't do that!" she exclaimed hurriedly, spreading her wings out in front of her rapidly, "There must be a better way than that!"

Just the thought of cutting out a tongue... All that blood... And the poor mortal would never be able to vocalize again! The idea made her perfectly sick.

"In actuality, I had no intention of doing that to him anyway," Shen admitted sheepishly, "But the question still remain-"

Whatever the peacock was going to say, it was interrupted, as Po burst his head in.

"Hey guys!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, his eyes wide with excitement, "You're gonna want to see this!"

"See what, exactly?" Shen frowned.

"The room where we were supposed to sleep! It's been ripped apart!" came the answer, as Po turned away from the door and raced back down the hall, gesturing for them to follow.

They did so, walking hurriedly after the departing bear. They walked down through the narrow hall, with empty rooms on both sides, until they reached a staircase, which led to another hall...

It was instantly apparent which rooms had been theirs. The doors for Fenghuang's allotted space were broken down, and the insides of the room were overturned, the simple sleeping mat torn to shreds all over the floor, and pieces of broken poterry littered the ground around her feet. She shuddered to think what would have happened had she slept in here...

Po's room was in a better state, the door hanging open, and the insides mostly intact.

But Shen's room... Shen had paid for his room, to authenticate the illusion of their location... But he now thought his money had been wasted.

The door to his sleeping area was GONE. The interior of the room was trashed, the walls were ripped, and the curtains lay in tatters. The window had been smashed open, and the bed had been broken in half.

"Wow... Someone really didn't like you, eh?" Po asked breathlessly, looking into the small place.

"So it seems," Shen answered,taking a careful step inside, and looking around in shock. The only thing still intact in the room was it's floor. Everything else was broken.

As he looked, though, something shiny caught his eye. It was on a half of the broken bed, plainly laid there for someone to find.

He walked up in curiosity, breathing out a short sigh of wonderment when he saw what the object was...

In his wings, he held a long, perfectly polished, feather-shaped throwing knife. His eyes widened, and he held the object as if it might suddenly burst into flame.

It was one of his knives! There was no doubt, no-one else ever used such a design!

Po, standing behind him, whistled softly.

"Shen, isn't that one of your knives?" he asked, his eyes fixed to the glimmering steel surface, "Do you think that someone's trying to frame you?"

"Perhaps," the peacock answered absently, turning the blade over in his wings-

His breath caught. There was a note tied to the back of the knife!

_You can't run forever, little Shen._

_-W.B_

_PS: First strike._

His eyes narrowed as he read the chilling note.

W.B? That could only be one person... Wolf Boss. Hao.

Shen suddenly knew how those girls felt whenever they swooned. The world seemed to swim around his eyes, and he couldn't seem to focus on anything.

"This can't be..." he murmured distantly, his eyes still glued on the short note.

It defied logic. Hao was DEAD! He had been murdered! It was not possible that he could be walking at all, least of all, looking for revenge.

Yet, cold and hard in his wings, was the note and blade, icy proof to Hao's continued existence.

"W.B?" Po asked curiously, reading over the peacock's shoulder, "Who's he?"

Shen looked up in bewilderment. Wasn't it obvious? How could the panda NOT know?

He tucked the knife away into his sleeves, and huffed away. He stood by the torn doorframe, inspecting the damage.

It seemed that all the scratches and tears were words, and they all said the same things.

Wolf Boss.

Murderers.

Retribution.

This was too much. It couldn't be happening. He could NOT be being hunted by his dead best friend. It just could not be!

Yet the cool of steel on his wings told him otherwise.

"Shen?" Fenghuang asked softly, "Are you alright?"

For a second, he considered telling them both everything, about his past.. And the danger they were all in. But for some reason, his wing was stayed, he did not move.

"I'm fine," he replied brusquely, "We should go downstairs."

"Oh! And to track down the villainous villains that ruined these rooms!" Po exclaimed, walking forward. His stomach growled. "And perhaps they have breakfast here too..."

"Panda..." Shen facepalmed, shaking his head slowly, "You have no idea of priority. We need to go downstairs, check out of the inn, and then leave. We can eat on the way."

"But...but..." Po whimpered helplessly, waving his arms, "We aren't in THAT much of a hurry, are we?"

"Oh, but we are, Po, if we wish to get to our destination before next year," Fenghuang informed gravely, "Summer is coming. Soon, all that is frozen will become undone, and that brings the floods. They will be stronger without Long to guide them."

"Eesh," Po bit his lip, embarrassed. He had forgotten about the change in seasons, rather stupidly, he had to admit.

"To say nothing of the inherent danger of someone finding us while we sit idle," Shen added, "Now, are we going downstairs or not? Come on, panda! And... After you, Yin."

Po shook his head quickly. That peacock had become rather bossy all of a sudden... Nevertheless, he trooped down the stairs, heading towards the restaurant section of the building.

When he reached the bottom, a scene of emptiness met his eyes. The place was still and quiet. A few people sat somberly in their seats, and a goose was talking to that black dog who owned the place. Hmm. It might be worth it to learn his name.

The dog looked up, and smiled widely.

"Thank the maker!" he exclaimed.

The canine rushed towards them, all smiles of relief.

"I am very sorry! This is such a shame, really, it is!" he was saying quickly, "When I saw the state of your rooms... Well, I feared the worst! Thank heaven that you are alright!"

"Barely," Shen whispered to himself.

"I really apologize, this doesn't normally happen..." the dog continued hurriedly.

"It is not your fault, Duanong," Fenghuang smiled reassuringly, "We actually never even knew that our rooms were attacked until the morning..."

The dog named Duangong sighed with a smile, obviously put to rest. Then he frowned. How had that female known his name? He never told it to anyone...

"How did you..." he started, then changed his question. "How did you manage to er, miss all this?"

"We changed our rooms in the middle of the night," Shen answered quickly, "Us avians prefer heights."

The dog furrowed his brow, thinking hard.

The upper rooms were significantly more expensive than the lower, should he charge them for that? Then again, they could charge him for failing to keep a proper eye in the place. Whoever had attacked had managed to carry out the assault without anyone even knowing until they had left.

He decided against charging the extra yuan.

"I guess it all turned out for the best, though, hmm?" he said finally, "If you had been hurt, it would have been terrible for business, just terrible! Already most of my customers have left in a hurry..."

Po nodded cheerfully, and stood by the door. Shen motioned him back.

"What is it?" he asked curiously, walking back in a trot, "I thought we were leaving now..."

"We were..." the peacock murmured tiredly, "But... A good breakfast never hurt anyone."

Po grinned widely. "Ah, well said, peacock!" he exclaimed. a

* * *

It was a very few minutes later that they all sat down at the table, Po concentrating on his food, and Shen looking over a map with Fenghuang, occasionally reaching back down to take a bite.

"The problem is, we are almost on the other side of the country," Shen frowned, expressing the problem which they all knew too well, "We can either take the shortest road, which takes longer because of the terrain, or the easier route... But either way would take about the same time."

Fenghuang shook her head sadly, thoughtfully chewing on a steamed bun, still hot and delicious.

"If I only had control over my Qi as I once did," she murmured, swallowing, "Then I could take us there far quicker... Unfortunately, I do not."

The peacock rolled his eyes. "Then why tell us that?" he said, somewhat irritably, then hastily added, "Your majesty."

"Why don't you just get in some practice?" Po mumbled, his mouth full of food, "That's what I do!"

"A capital suggestion, Po," the Phoenix smiled, interrupting Shen's spicy retort, "Only I haven't the slightest idea of what to even begin practicing."

"You should have tried learning in the Jade Palace," Shen remarked wryly, "They have all sorts of scrolls on chi manipulation there."

He faded of into silence, remembering perhaps, a fonder, young time of his, when a small peacock had snuck into the scroll room and sneaked a glance at a forbidden scroll...

"Do they? Why did someone not tell me that? It would have been of great help..." Fenghuang sighed quickly, glaring at Shen.

"We have become distracted from our goals," Shen reminders hastily, changing the subject, "We were deciding what path to take?"

"What were the choices again?" Po asked, leaning forward heavily. He had finally decided to show an interest.

"You really didn't hear?" Shen asked in disbelief, raising one black eyebrow.

"Not really," Po admitted, biting his lower lip, "I don't really hear too good when my mouth is full. What? It's true... Kinda..."

Shen sighed. "We were discussing," he informed stonily, speaking quickly and clearly, "Whether to take the ferry and cross the river here, and make our way through the mountains, or continue on our current path, heading around the mountains and taking us through heavily civilized country... Either way, the paths meet up at Choulin, right here" -Shen gestured to the small town with a primary feather - "The only difference is that going through the mountains would carve almost three weeks off our journey, assuming we made a good time-"

"Take the civilized path," Po advised simply, gesturing to the path with his hand, "I have had my fill of mountains."

Fenghuang coughed abruptly into her wing.

Shen rolled his eyes wearily. The mighty Dragon Warrior... Was a lazy, overweight panda. The celestial sacred Phoenix... Was a very feminine giggling machine.

He was never going to judge someone by their titles again...

He looked down, and shook his head. 'Giggling machine'? Really? That didn't fit her at all! Come to think of it, 'lazy' didn't fit Po either. In all honesty, he could be a little slow sometimes... But not all-out lazy. And as for Fenghuang...

He would remove the 'giggling machine' part, and just keep 'feminine'. That fit her perfectly. Speaking of perfect...

He shook his head, getting back on subject.

"Yeah, or thorns," Po was saying obviously enjoying relating his tale, "Thorn bushes could leave... I wouldn't miss 'em."

"For practical reasons, a shorter route is better, thorns or no thorns," Shen informed, clicking his beak thoughtfully, "To say nothing of the practice we would get for Mount Malaku. After all, the Himalayas are a very large mountain range."

"Well I think-" Po began, then silenced suddenly as Duangong walked up, carrying a kettlefull of chai tea.

He poured a small cup to each of them, and nodded cordially, before moving briskly away.

Po took a sip of his tea, slowly to avoid being burned, and finished his earlier statement.

"I think that it would better if she chose the route," he said, gesturing to Fenghuang, "I mean, it's her journey and all, so..."

"In a way," the Phoenix hurriedly spoke, turning her head on a tilt, "It is my journey in a way. However, on a grand scale, this journey is for all..."

Po grinned. Statements like that had always struck him as 'cool' or 'awesome',and this was no exception.

Shen, on the other hand, said nothing, groaning quietly into his wing. Fenghuang seemed fond of clarifying statements with long words, and Po have her endless opportunity to do just that. The two could speak for hours, he reckoned.

"As for his earlier remark," he said slowly, trying to get back on subject, "Yin, it WOULD be helpful if you had an opinion as to which way we should turn..."

Fenghuang turned away from the panda, and glanced over the map.

"It would be wiser to take the more civilized path, were it not for the wolves who followed us," she stated airily, tracing over the path with her wing, "I am still lacking for want of some warmer clothes... I think that attempting to cross the mountains as I am now would kill me."

Her feathers brushed against Shen's lightly, and he received a literal shock, as if he had been zapped. He withdrew his wing quickly.

"So, the longer road, is it?" he asked, rubbing his wing.

"YEAH!" Po exclaimed, throwing up his arms, "NO MORE MOUNTAINS!"

Shen drew back a little, and eyed Po with astonishment.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking around quickly.

"Nothing," came the reply, and Po settled down. Why was it that he was the only excitable person in China...?

Sure, when it came to fighting, or saving... He felt, at home... but, traveling to a destination he hadn't even known existed, over terrain he couldn't do, he was hopelessly out of his depth. He tried to enter into the conversation going on in front of him, adding a comment here or there, but it was useless.

Before him, two beings of white conversed deeply upon subjects he could not begin to understand. He felt as a mortal, eavesdropping on gods, a mortal which assumed himself able to compete with them.

The point of the conversation had found it's way back to Qi, and Po did not comprehend the smallest piece of what they were saying.

Little did he know, as he watched Shen, his head-crest erect, and his eyes animated, engaging in the conversation... That the peacock knew even less than did the panda.

Or perhaps he did know it, and in a way, that made him sad. Where was the line that separated them, which made he an expert on everything, and himself a bumbling know-nothing?

He looked up again, and Shen had quieted down. The two avians were eating silently, no longer talking.

Po settled down to do the same.

Shen was quietly debating with himself on whether or not there were any of those rocket-launchers left in the wreck of the airship... Whether he would need them, with his once best friend, now worst enemy, on his tail.

Fenghuang's thoughts had drifted to the Zhu, as to that higher order which had fallen to peices.

Po was thinking on divinity, and what correlation peace in the universe had to the food tasting good.

Underlying all their thoughts, was the journey to come.

* * *

_Author's Note: As I promised, the chapter is here!_

_And WHAT? Wolf Boss is alive? How? (get it, his name is Hao, so Hao/How... Nevermind.)_

_Anyway, that is what it looks like. It seems that Fenghuang and the others narrowly escaped from danger. But where did the attackers go? Are they still lurking around?_

_On another note: This chapter was HELL to publish. I don't know why, but my browser kept crashing, so I had to copy/paste it... Ekes._

_Anyway, R&R people!_


	17. The path around

Chapter Sixteen

* * *

The meal had been good, while it lasted. Eating was an escape, allowing thoughts to dwell on a carnal activity, avoiding higher and darker ponderings.

Sadly, it was only for a short while, as both the food and time began to run low.

Now, the three adventurers, if you could call them that, each felt a pull of urgency. They had wasted too much time eating, when they could have made good progress. The decision to take the travelled path pressed in consternation on the back of Shen's mind, as he began waiting for the black dog Duangong to return, so they could pay their bill and be on their way. The food cost money, after all.

Wouldn't a commonly-traveled road be one of the most watched places in China? That would be the first place Zhung and Hao would be watching, wouldn't it?

Which raised the question. How had Zhung and Hao teamed up?

Assuming Hao stayed in command of the remaining wolves, the peacock could see how it would work. Zhung needed mercenaries to work for him, and Hao has them, in return for revenge on Shen. The thought made him gulp.

Duangong finally showed himself, and Po payed hurriedly. The party made for the door, saying their farewells as they left.

But... Things were not to go so easily.

"Wait!" a thick, heavily accented voice rung out behind them, and they all turned. To their combined horror, Dunthrie was running along behind them, brandishing his axe.

"What?" Po exclaimed, confused, "How did he get out?"

"His...teeth?" Shen suggested wryly, clapping a wing over his face with bemused amazement.

"Yé can't just be tying me up and leaving, ye scoundrels!" the badger was yelling, rushing up to the party, "I demand that you turn around, and apologize!"

"We apologize," Shen stated dismissively, then turned back to the door. "Let's leave now, people. Hurry up!"

"Oh, don't be thinking you will be getting off that easy then!" Dunthrie continued to bluster, "It will take more than that to get the like of me off your tails!"

Fenghuang stopped, and turned around, a rarely seen fire in her eye. "What will it take then?" she hackled, both figuratively and literally, her train rising halfway, "Even if you had the strength of legs to follow us where we go, I doubt that your heart would allow you to follow! Begone! Name your price and be gone with you!"

To the badger, a sixteen-foot anything was large enough, regardless of the hypnotic patterns that dotted the eyespots. He quivered. That was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen... Then his eyes traveled down the the phoenix's face, and he realized that beauty can be terrifying.

"Eh... I... Er... I didn't quite catch what you were saying..." he spat out quickly, looking down and away from the entrancing display before him.

Fenghuang lowered her tail, and her voice regained it's usual gentle lilt. The spell broken, Dunthrie looked up again with a renewed vigor, finally thinking he had caught the phoenix's meaning.

"I could follow you anywhere!" he grinned, quite confident in himself once more, "I really could then, I could!"

"What... does this mean?" Po asked with hesitation, cocking his head.

"It means I'm coming with you, laddie!" the badger drawled, dropping his axe and placing his paws as high up un Po's body as they would go, which was not far, because of the badger being short. "All of my life, I have wanted adventure to find me, just one little badger, in his burrow under the ground. And now, when it is finally with my grasp, will you not let me take it? Will you not allow me to have what I have toiled after for so long?"

Shen, unaffected by Dunthrie's speech, shook his head. "I don't think so. I... I am already at my limit of traveling with nutcases at once."

"He means that the danger is too great," Fenghuang clarified sagely, nodding a little too quickly, "You should turn back, and keep your life. No further adventure can come to one who has passed."

"A death by glorious adventure is a good one!" the badger grinned again.

"There is no good or bad death, badger," Fenghuang replied somberly, becoming suddenly graver, "They still result in one becoming dead."

Dunthrie frowned. "When you put it that way... It does seem rather depressing then, don't it?"

"Death is a depressing fact," she nodded.

"Ehhh... Guys, haven't we gotten a little distracted now?" Po pointed out, gesturing to the door, "I thought we were leaving..."

"Of course it would be you to remind us that, panda," Shen muttered sourly under his breath, "Oh the irony..."

"That's right then, Dragon Warrior," Dunthrie grinned, "Let's get going."

Po watched the badger walk past him to the door, heft his pack up from the hooks, and walk out.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Po called after him, already making his way down the path, "Where are you going?"

"With you!" Dunthrie called back over his shoulder, walking out into the sunny yet chilly air.

"Oh brother..." Shen facepalmed quietly in the back, behind them all. "Of all the ridiculous... Hey! Where has everyone gone?"

He looked around, and found to his shock that Po and Fenghuang had already raced off after the badger.

"Oh, for the love of-" the rest of his speech was cut, as he ran after the departing company himself.

He caught up shortly, shuddering a little at the cold ground. Fenghuang was right in front of him. She looked back with what could almost be considered a knowing smile on her face.

"Something on your mind, peacock?" she almost smirked, and Shen was taken aback by the change in her demeanor.

"W-well... Yes, yes..." He stammered helplessly, and cleared his thoughts of the badger and the Phoenix from his mind, to tell her something that had been gnawing on him since they decided to take the path.

"Isn't a path one of the most likely places in the world to be ambushed?"

"Possibly, but I don't see how the wilderness is any better in that regard..." she responded, slowing down to match pace with him, "There are bandits aplenty in this world... Besides, I need some warm clothes."

"Only one that particularly wants to kill ME..." the peacock muttered quietly, looking down on the path below his feet.

"Perhaps I chose this path so that you could meet him," Fenghuang said suddenly, turning and facing him with a sparkle in her eye, "The enimity between you needs to be resolved, Shen. Now, I'm going to see the lay of the land."

Before Shen could say another word, the Phoenix leaped into the air, leaving a cloud of dust from her wings.

Above him, she was already high up, spiraling upwards into the pristine morning sky. She glided up there for a while, wings motionless, just before flapping once with enough thrust to send her still higher through the atmosphere.

Shen shook his head, muddling over that Phoenix. He wished he had wings like that... And what did she mean, with that last sentence? Was she toying with him?

Fenghuang dived down, spreading her wings to their maximum extent, and alighted gracefully in front of Po.

"That way," she told him, pointing the direction, "Come on."

They all began to trudge their way down the path.

"Wings... Fenghuang remarked to Po, as she walked alongside him, "You really should try some."

"I'd love to, but I sorta can't..." the panda replied, rolling his eyes.

"Too bad, really," she sighed, and with that, she was on the wing once more, soaring above them without effort.

The path just seemed to wind on and on as they walked, with only subtle changes in the environment. Gradually, the bamboo forests were being replaced with groves of trees, until finally, there was no bamboo to be seen anywhere.

As they neared the side of the mountain, the trees and plants began to grow larger, nourished by the water runoff from the looming shadow of the single peak. The trees reared over the path, much to the gratitude of the traveling party, as the now high sun beat down with increased strength.

Po, looking up, could see the mountain reaching up into the higher airs. The large trees shrunk and diminished as they grew in the higher altitudes, until they peaked out into the bare rock. Still above that, the rocks faded into snow and ice.

The panda shuddered. He was glad that they were not going to scale that, it would be cold and difficult, and difficult and dangerous. That was one big mountain.

Fenghuang, from her vantage point in the air, could see the winding path before her, stretching on into the horizon. Above her, the sun slid around, it's fierce rays beating on her back. The wind rushing over her feathers cooled the heat. She was neither hot nor cold. Equilibrium.

Abruptly, however, the temperature cooled down dramatically, as the sun vanished behind the mountain, leaving the party in it's garangutan shadow.

"Eesh, it got cold quick, didn't it?" Po complained to Dunthrie, clutching his elbows with the sudden coolness, "I wish that sun would come back out..."

"Well, that person doesn't take orders, sadly," the badger replied with a grin, "But we badgers make the best of it, aye, that's what we do."

"You know, you don't talk like a Chinese..." Po pointed out, half-turning to the badger, "Why is that?"

"That's because I don't come from around here," Dunthrie responded, looking with unseeing eyes at the panda, "Me, I come from across the sea..."

"Ah..." the panda trailed off.

Shen walked up alongside, and nodded. He wasn't about to make conversation with the badger, but that was thing they had almost in common. The royal peacocks came from India, having migrated there several hundred years ago. An unbroken line, blessed by heaven...

Until he came along, himself. Lord Shen. Single-handedly destroying his family's reputation, the royal lineage, and the peacock's hold on Gongmen province. That was...

Shen closed his eyes briefly, and shook his head. That was all behind him now. For now. Gloomy thoughts would not help his energy.

Fenghuang landed lightly again, pacing alongside the badger.

"It got cold up there," she shivered, chattering her beak, "I really need those warm clothes."

It had become dark as well, shady beneath the trees.

But the path was clear, and they trudged along it easily. At least the terrain was not difficult, slight hills and shallow valleys, mostly flat land.

The trees became thicker still, as they reached the closest proximity the path took to the mountain. They would be in it's shadow for the next week or so.

Below their feet, the ground was becoming wet, having absorbed both the moisture from the trees, and the runoff. Their feet left tracks now in the soft ground. There were few others, mostly hooves or webbed feet. No paws.

Shen knotted his brows at this. They had been walking for hours with out the slightest trace of the wolves or Zhung... Perhaps, by some stroke of luck, they had managed to avoid them completely.

Still, it was far too early to be celebrating, and they trudged on. There was no such thing as lunch on the trail, only breakfast and dinner. You can be sure there was much arguing with Po over this point.

Evening came at last, and the sun emerged from behind the mountain briefly, before dipping below the horizon in finality. The sky reddened lightly, foreboding a wet day tomorrow, according to the old saying.

The red light illuminated everything, making Shen's feathers glow a burning pink. He looked down at himself, then sent a look at Po. The panda' white patches glowed with the same celestial radiance. He cast his eyes away, turning them in a sweeping arc over Dunthrie, then Fenghuang-

His eyes stopped, caught and held. The Phoenix's feathers caught the sun's light and threw it back, bathing her in blood-red rays of light. It appeared that she was wearing the glory of the sun.

She turned slowly, as if in a dream, and locked her eyes on his.

"Looking at something?" she said, almost coyly, yet not quite. Shen turned his eyes away quickly.

"Er... No," he replied, "I was just thinking we should make a place for the night."

The sun vanished behind the skyline,

and the brief moment of glory passed. Fenghuang looked down, once more white as perfect snow.

"We should," she said quickly, her voice quiet and rapturous. Shen bowed quickly, turned, and left.

There was a connection between him and the Phoenix, perhaps as between queen and servant, perhaps not. They understood each other better than any other. What Shen understood now was that she was cold, and that suddenly he needed to make her warm, and that nothing was going to stop him. This was the effect her voice had on people, although he know it not.

"Come on, Po, let's get off the road and make a fire," he instructed sternly, "Come on."

Po turned abruptly, squinting to make out the peacock's white figure in the rapidly diminishing light.

"Sure- sure, Shen," he said slowly, "Will do..."

He turned again, and shouted out after the still-walking badger. "Ahoy! Dunthrie! Come back, we are stopping here!"

"Eh? What?" Shen heard Dunthrie respond, before he stopped listening.

He stalked back into the forest, away from the path, and sighed. The forest was silent, offering solitude to his tired body. A sigh escaped his beak again, and he sat down slowly. The feeling of rest was blissfully sweet, amazingly alluring. He could stay like this forever... His eyes closed for only a second-

His head slumped against the ground, in the dreamtime between sleep and waking life.

* * *

_Pictures flushed before his mind. A falling drop of the purest light seemed to strike him, bathing him in white... But it was not all white. Inter flecked with the purity was spots of crimson, swirling around..._

___The pictures were leading up to one point..._

* * *

"Shen? Are you alright?" Po's voice floated at him from somewhere, and he was yanked from his vision.

It was too early, the point had yet to be revealed.

Shen rose groggily, slightly irritated at the panda for discovering him asleep.

"I'm fine, I was just... Asleep," he muttered, "W-what's going on?"

"Oh, well, I just finished making the fire, and I was wondering what... Where you had gone..." the panda replied eagerly, yet a little nervously, "Do you want to join us, or... Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"No... I'll come with you," Shen stated, standing up, "Er... Thanks for coming to get me."

"Ok, cool," Po nodded, turning to leave, "You're welcome. Come on, it's this way."

"Oh, Po!" Shen called out, halting the bear.

"What is it?" Po whirled, fixing Shen in a gaze, "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, it's just that..." Shen looked down, almost guiltily, studying the dirt at his feet. "I had another vision."

Po immediately took attention, leaning in closer. "You did? You're sure it wasn't just a dream?"

"Of course I'm sure, panda!" Shen snapped, then calmed himself by taking several deep breaths. "You should know the difference between a-a flashback, and a dream... It's... It's... Well, I can't explain the difference, it's like a-"

"Part of your soul speaking," Po finished for him, looking incredibly serious for once. Perhaps it was the darkness.

"Exactly!" the peacock exclaimed, his head-crest raising, "It was just like that- like my soul was telling me something..."

"Good!" Po nodded, sitting down on the slightly damp ground, "What did you see?"

"Well," Shen began, sitting himself next to the panda, "I saw light."

"And...?" Po said in a questioning tone, leaning further towards the white avian, "What else?"

"It was light, everywhere. It was like I was bathing in it," Shen explained, tilting his head up to the dark shapes of the trees above, "All around me was pure white light, with red particles floating suspended in it..."

"Whoa..." Po breathed in awe.

"Another thing," the peacock continued, "Was that I had no consciousness of self. It was just light. Yet... I knew that I was there. There were no feelings, just that light."

"What do..." Po began, uncertain as to how to approach this, "What do you think it meant? Where were you?"

"I-I don't know!" Shen declared, rising to his feet, "Something! I haven't the faintest inkling of what it meant..."

"Well, that's not really helpful, you know," Po frowned, relaxing easily, "Just guess. Think of something that makes sense."

"Conjecture fails me at this point, Po," The white bird replied.

"Weell," the panda stretched, heaving to his feet, "Just keep it in mind, perhaps you'll think of something. Now, let's get to everyone else!"

"Fine," Shen muttered, "Lead the way."

Po waltzed through the dark forest, strangely carefree considering the situation. Shen followed close behind, for fear of getting lost in the dark. Birds are not meant for night vision.

Soon, however, both animals could see the flickering orange light of a camp fire up ahead, and shortly after that, they were met with the welcoming heat on their faces.

"Hey everybody," Po greeted Fenghuang and Dunthrie, "We're back!"

"Oh, thank goodness!" Dunthrie proclaimed, leaping from his seat towards the panda, and continued in a whisper, "The lady has been giving a monster of an evil eye... If I was milk I would have curdled away!"

Fenghuang may have heard this, her subtle roll of eyes certainly said so. However, she too seemed glad to have them back.

In fact, she had been quietly fantasizing about the possibility that Shen and Po might never return, leaving her alone and helpless... With only the badger for company. She shuddered.

Po sat down on a log, and began talking to Dunthrie. Po was glad that the badger had come along.

He was so much easier to talk to than Shen or Yin. They actually had a lot in common.

Shen say down easily, and stared into the fire. He watched it swirl and roil, the sparks float out and die.

Fire was beautiful. It was life. It was power in form. At least Shen had always thought so. His whole life had always been tied to fire.

His eyes began to get droopy, as sleep came to claim him. The fire's hypnotic movements lulling him to rest...

Suddenly, the fire roared! It seemed to the peacock, as he roused with a startled squawk, that the flaming head of a dragon had leapt from the flames and snapped at him!

"Augh!" he exclaimed, leaping from the fire and rubbing his eyes, "What was that?"

"What was what?" Po asked, rushing to his feat and looking around, before resting his eyes on the peacock in confusion, "I don't see anything..."

Shen breathed out heavily, calming himself. "Perhaps I was just dreaming. Nevermind."

"No." the Phoenix's voice rung out, clearly in the cold night. Her eyes were fraught with concern. "What did you see?"

"It was a figment of my mind," Shen reassured, sitting back down, "Caused by lack of sleep, I'm sure. I should rest-"

"What did you see?!" Fenghuang demanded, loudly and with a harsh edge to her voice.

"A dragon!" Shen yelped, surprised by the female's tone, "In the fire!"

Yin broke away, horror evident in her eyes.

"He's here..." she moaned, her wings against her temples, "He's here! I should have known! Put it out! PUT IT OUT!"

Without waiting for the others to react, she swept her train across the fire, extinguishing it and scattering it's ashes. The group was plunged into darkness.

"So..." Dunthrie's voice sounded in the dark, "What was that about then?"

"Yaan... He sees through fire..." Fenghuang replied breathlessly, setting herself down, "He... He was watching us. We sleep without fire tonight... I hope we were not..."

She trailed off absently, staring at the disrupted pile of blackened wood from what used to be the fire.

"Oh, well that clears things up then!" the badger grinned cheerfully, then turned to Po and whispered, "Who's Yaan?"

"Oh, he's this great big dragon who we are going to destroy," Po whispered back."

"Aah..." Dunthrie breathed, "I'm sorry I asked."

"Wait..." Po continued, narrowing his eyes, "Yaan can see through fires? Like, any fires?"

He looked towards Fenghuang, sitting silently on the ground. She sighed, and answered.

"Yes he can... I should have remembered it. His power over flame is almost limitless."

"So then..." the panda quavered, "How will we keep ourselves warm? How will we manage to get up an icy-cold mountain, if we can't make fire?"

Shen stood up. "We could avoid using fire as long as possible... But we will need it when we get to the mountain."

"We will have to take that chance, WHEN we get to Mount Malaku. Only then can we use fire, hopefully when we are too far along for him to stop us," the Phoenix sated absently.

"But.. But..." Po whimpered, "How will we cook our food? I can't live on dry rice! I NEED FOOD!"

All eyes turned to him, and he grinned sheepishly.

Fenghuang sighed sadly. "I guess... Unless you can think of another way to cook, I am afraid that cooking will not be possible."

"Cooked food, boiled water... Those things are necessary to survival on the trail," Shen reminded, stepping forwards, "We cannot simply forgo the need to drink."

"But it it like a homing signal! Yaan will know our every move if we use fire! We- we won't stand a chance!" Fenghuang's tone was growing increasingly panicked, her eyes widening.

They could not tell, but beneath her pristine, miraculously clean robes, her heart was beating like a jackhammer...

"We should sleep on it," Dunthrie suggested, leaning forward, "I don't rightly know what's going on, but I know I get most of my ideas while I'm asleep."

Everyone turned their eyes to the badger, eyebrows raised skeptically.

"Actually, I don't think that is such a bad idea..." Po said to the others, "I could keep watch..."

"You?" Shen rolled his eyes, unintentionally sounding very demeaning, "Stay up all night? Can we trust you with that?"

"Well, I could always wake you up halfway," the panda grinned back.

Shen sighed. "Fine..." he replied, sitting down, "You do that. Wake me up when you feel inclined to."

The peacock fanned his train, stretched, and relaxed again, tucking his head beneath his wing. "Good night, all."

Fenghuang looked around uncomfortably, settling down in obvious unease.

"This is dangerous..." she warned, fixing Po with her eyes, "Yaan knows where we are, he could be here any moment. No more sending mercenaries, no more working through others. He could come himself! We would die before a word could be uttered..."

"Don't worry," Po reassured, leaning against a tree, "If I see anything, I'll wake you up."

The Phoenix closed her eyes tightly, shaking her head back and forth violently.

Finally, she looked up. "Again, panda, I place my safety in your paws... You know this world better than I... so I trust you. Do not fail me."

Po nodded, sending her a comforting gaze. "Don't worry! I won't!"

She gave him one last glare, before leaping upwards, landing squarely on a tree branch. There she would roost for the night.

Sleep was still difficult for her to attain, yet she still tried, closing her eyes and burying her head in her feathers.

Po squatted on the cold earth below, trying to soak up any remaining particles of heat from the extinguished fire. So far, only a faint warmth touched his fingertips, and he groaned.

"Why did the dragon have to see through fire?" he muttered to himself, "Why not kitchen utensils? Why not potholders?"

He shook his head, and shivered.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

_Author's note: Wow. Three weeks, for this chapter. I am so sorry guys._

_Hey, and to answer a few comments:_

_Yeah, Fenghuang has a train because she is a Phoenix. According to Chinese legend, the sacred phoenix has 'the neck of a swan, the head of an eagle, the wings of a swallow, and the tail of a peacock'. I removed the eagle head for story purposes._

_Aand.. Yeah. Wolf boss has the same name as Mantis's ex. That was an accident._

_Enjoy!_

_Until next time!_

_Oh yeah, and I'm going to the Bahamas in a week! Yay! Sadly, we are going by boat, so no Internet... That also means no updates. Sorry!_

_And, we went to a circus yesterday. It was awesome! They had everything circuses are supposed to! Even a guy being shot from a cannon! And FIVE white tigers!_

_Well, bye!_


	18. Hone

Chapter Seventeen

* * *

When Shen woke himself next morning, it was still dark. Dawn had yet to break over the horizon.

He yawned, stretching his head upwards, and looked around.

Everything was quiet, thank goodness. The camp looked exactly the same as it had when he had fallen to sleep last night...

No thanks to Po, he thought to himself with mixed anger and amusement.

In the dark, he could just make out the panda's sleeping figure, crouched next to the dead fire.

Shen wondered just how long the bear had slept. Hopefully not very long...

"Trust a panda to stay up at night," he muttered to himself quietly, "He should have woken me!"

He stood up, and brushed particles of dirt and grass from his robes, keeping them clean as possible.

Sadly, sleeping clothes were also a thing that was done away with on the trail.

He looked around again, observing everything. It is in a bird's nature to be flighty, and Shen carried this to the next level. His scrutiny of his surroundings could almost be considered paranoid, but Shen knew that paranoia in observations can be a good or bad thing. The trick was to control the fear, rather than let it control you.

The badger was curled up comfortably, leaning against a large tree. Fenghuang was nowhere to be seen, and he almost panicked-

Until he remembered to look in the trees. Clever girl... Roosting in the treetops was much safer than nesting on the ground, he should have thought of that himself!

He once more had to remind himself to focus, as he leaped up on the branch next to her. Peacocks can leap quite high if they want to.

"Wakey wakey, your majesty," he whispered loudly, giving her a slight nudge, "Time to wake up!"

She was obviously not a light sleeper, as her only response was to mumble something incoherently, then fall back into silence.

Shen rolled his eyes in exasperation, and gave her a slightly harder nudge. "Wake up..." he said, long and drawn-out, "Time to rise..."

Fenghuang blinked and yawned, looking up at him sleepily. "Hmmm? What is it?"

The peacock could not figure out why she was so sleepy. She had slept more than anyone in the party...

"Good morning, your majesty," he whispered, "I trust you slept well?"

"What?" she asked, confused, looking around, "It's still dark..."

"Yes, so I woke you early," Shen replied, nodding slightly.

"We shouldn't have to leave ye- Wait, what?" the Phoenix stuttered, "Why me early? Why haven't you awoken the others?"

"Because they didn't ask for private Ca Li Fo lessons," Shen responded promptly, leaning over her, "Now come along, I'm not intending to waste this perfectly good time."

He leaped from the branch and landed gracefully to the ground, before turning, and gesturing for her to follow suit.

Fenghuang groaned quietly, standing up. "You have got to be kidding me..." she murmured, "I should have thought of this when I asked him!"

Nevertheless, she too, leaped from the tree and down to the ground. She followed the peacock for a few steps- before he whirled, tossing her a bamboo staff suddenly.

"Where were you stowing this?" she asked quizzically, looking over the weapon with a scrutinizing eye.

Shen didn't answer, simply bringing the staff up to eye level, holding it horizontal and motionless.

She stared at it. "I take it that I am required to do something here?"

Shen rolled his eyes. "Take it."

"Oh," Fenghuang grinned sheepishly, and took the staff. It reached up four inches above the top of her head.

In front of her, the peacock procured a similar staff from somewhere. She seemed to recall him walking on that yesterday... He brought it vertical in front of his face, and instructed her to do the same.

"Now, we are just going to do some basic hit-and-response this morning," Shen detailed, "No elaborate moves or patterns-"

"I am capable of quite advanced locomotions," Fenghuang informed, fiddling with the side of her staff, "Do not think I cannot accomplish something because I do not have experience."

"Perhaps," Shen replied coolly, leaning forward a small amount while he spoke, "However, those patterns are exhausting, and we have much ground to cover today."

"Oh... Right," the Phoenix nodded, "Are we going to begin, or-"

She was cut off, as the peacock swung the staff around at her side with lightning speed.

She, caught off-guard, went tumbling on her side in the dewy ground.

"Well, I have my answer," she murmured, standing up quickly, "But I was unprepared. Try me again."

Shen swung again, slightly slower, and was greatly surprised when the Phoenix dodged- with a backflip.

The peacock raised his eyebrows and smirked. She did have a great amount of skill- he had watched her in the fight with the wolves and Zhung. Of course she could dodge, a Phoenix's speed was something of legend... But would she expect him to know this?

Again he struck, directly downwards this time, but abruptly changing directions halfway, striking left. She, in response, blocked easily with her staff as if it was nothing.

Yes, it would seem that her reflexes were excellent. Shen nodded in approval to himself. This meant he would not have to spend time teaching her that, something he felt that he lacked the ability to teach.

Well, now he could really begin...

He began swinging rapidly at her in solid, swift strokes. Nothing fancy, just up, down, left and right hits, executed with speed and precision.

She, in turn, flawlessly dodged and blocked each and every one. Although he quickened the pace, she was able to keep up with him effortlessly. She raised her staff over her head, blocking a downwards strike, then brought it around to block an attack from the left, all in one motion.

Shen twisted his staff around, then feinted a second left strike, but twisted around to the right at the last minute.

The blow impacted her side lightly, although she dodged halfway. He could hear air rushing from her lungs.

Using the impetus of that strike, he struck directly downwards. Fenghuang, however, stepped back smoothly, the staff passing millimeters from the end of her beak.

The peacock withdrew for a brief moment, giving her a chance to catch her breath, and then it was on again, the clack of wood on wood as the two squared once more.

Shen noticed something. Although she was blocking and parrying his blows with effortless grace, not once had she attempted a counter-attack. His eyebrows knitted together in thought. Either she was saving for something, or...

She lacked the mental will to actually strike another living object. Thinking back, although they had been in several battle situations since they met, not once had she ever actually caused any amount of pain to an attacker.

He did not breach the subject with her, however, instead continuing his steady rhythm of blows. He struck upwards, then swirled his staff around from the right, forcing her to step back a foot...

They continued this for about half an hour. The sun crested over the horizon, and Shen decided it was enough. He abruptly brought his staff upwards, knowing she would block-

And she did. However, by virtue of his superior strength, her staff was sent sailing out of her wings, landing five feet away.

The Phoenix's eyes quickly darted to the staff, then turned slower towards the peacock. She sighed, a token of surrender.

"You win," she said simply, staring at him. She stood there, waiting for him to do something.

"I think that's enough," Shen replied as he lowered his staff, panting slightly. "You... You did much better than I anticipated."

"Oh, it comes naturally," Fenghuang replied, looking sideways modestly. She wouldn't show it, but she was extremely pleased with the compliment.

"Pick up the staff," Shen continued, oblivious, "We had better be getting back to Po before he wakes up-"

Right on time, the panda's voice echoed heavily through the trees. "Shen? SHEN? SHHHEEEENNNN!"

The peacock winced. "Come on, before he makes himself hoarse," he called back to Fenghuang, as he paced back towards camp, "That panda knows no ways of subtlety."

They both hurried over to where camp had been set, finding both badger and panda awake and active.

"Oh, there you are Shen!" Po exclaimed hurriedly, looking them over, "Where were you? Nevermind, it doesn't matter. Come on, we have a lot of ground to cover today!"

Shen raised an eyebrow, surprised that the normally slack panda was the one to advocate an early start.

"Are you alright, Po?" he asked, eyeing the bear sideways, "You didn't by any chance had a devastating vision if the future while you slept, did you?"

"What? No!" Po replied, obviously confused, "It's just that the thought of wolves skulking around, and able to come from every angle- well, it makes me nervous."

"Ahhh..." Shen breathed in understanding, "Fair enough."

The group quickly got what was left of their things together, making haste to leave as little evidence of their encampment as possible. It wasn't easy to erase the evidence completely, but they did their best.

And then, with a quick breakfast of dried fish and a few grains of uncooked rice, they were off.

Today they went off considerably faster than the day before, the mentality being generally that they had somehow escaped judgement yesterday, and that doom was doubly sure to fall today.

However, increased speed means more trouble with fatigue, and neither Po nor Dunthrie could go at very high speeds for long. The badger, to his credit, was quite strong, but his little legs wouldn't take him near as fast as a bird's would. He was panting and gasping- but not saying anything, realizing this was the doubt Fenghuang had held from the beginning.

Shen thanked the maker, whoever he might be, that he was a bird, and thus held increased stamina reserves. Although peacock would not have been his first choice for long walks, had he the power to choose. Still, he realized he was in the lead, an accomplishment he was quite proud of.

"Of course," he thought to himself suddenly, "I have always been in the lead... Although in the past it was a fine army of wolves, not this ragtag bunch."

He chucked quietly. One of the few times he found some mirth within his past.

He looked up, at the high trees above his head. They were ancient and majestic, and had he any more time he would have thought them beautiful.

Fenghuang's agile form flitted through the trees as well. She had wings- the most efficient locomotion system in nature- and she was using them. As a result, she was by far the least drudged-down by the journey.

Shen wondered, his eye following the flying avian, if she had the power to revive Yang on her own, how long would this journey have taken her then? He was quite sure that he, Po, and Dunthrie were slowing her down. It was rumored that the sacred phoenix could traverse the earth with but two beats of her wings- surely that was an exaggeration? Or was it?

He had seen a dragon bite at him through fire. That would seem like an exaggeration to many, yet there it was.

He suddenly realized that he was watching her, without her knowledge. A distinctly un-gentlemanly thing to do.

Did Shen normally care? No. But on a phoenix, who seemed at times to have access to one's mind... Well, he would prefer to remain blank. He averted his eyes rapidly downwards, back on the path.

He let his thoughts wander, and just walked.

Behind him, Po was having thoughts if his own, but they were of a much more practical, (albeit fanciful,) nature. His thoughts were full of all the possible ways they could be attacked on this road, whether it be from north, south, east, or west. Most of his fancies ended with him pretty much fighting the bandits off single-handedly, although sometimes he would team up with Shen.

However, rooted at the core of each of his imaginations was the very real possibility of being attacked on the road.

What most people did not realize was that flights of fantasy were the panda's was of strategizing an attack. For instance, should some bandit have the audacity to attack from the trees, he would be met with first a thundering wind hammer, then a feet of fury, then be landed on with all the weight that Po could command. All concocted within Po's extremely creative mind.

"Hey Shen!" he called out, jogging up to the peacock, "When do you think those wolves will show themselves? Because I'm ready to get some now, ya'know? I don't like all this waiting."

Shen looked up from the path, and focused his attention on the panda.

"I don't know, Po," he replied with an air of slight worry, "Although I expect that Yin will spot any bandits before they arrive."

Po looked up, and caught a brief sight of the Phoenix, just above the treetops.

"Oh, OH! I hadn't thought of her," Po exclaimed thoughtfully, "I think she would. That's good, because I hate being snuck up on."

Shen rolled his eyes. "Few people enjoy a surprise visit by sword-wielding ruffians these days, Po," he stated sardonically, "I, sadly, am one of them."

Po winced. "You know, Shen, I never pictured you as the sarcastic type... That's new."

"You think so?" the peacock wondered, looking up with a thoughtful stare, "I never noticed..."

"Yeah well. It's not that bad, Crane is like that too, and he's still awesome," Po answered, giving Shen a pat on the back that was meant to be reassuring.

"I think I was always like that, really." the peacock's voice was far away, and his head-crest was waving back and forth. A sure sign that he was thinking.

Shen wondered. He knew where his sarcasm had sprung from, although he didn't feel it needed to tell the panda.

One of the strongest aspects of his personality was the overwhelming belief that he was above everyone else. He had truly believed himself as another type of being, altogether different and superior. Of course, as a Lord, it was partially true. Now, taken from his lofty position and placed among people he was to consider equals, his worldview had to be altered accordingly.

No longer was he able to think himself above anyone. In fact, when it came to it, he was probably one of the lowest members on the hierarchy. However, he still had the mindset, (if not the view) that he was smarter than everyone else.

Sarcasm was just that way of thought, slipping in a shout here and there.

So yeah, in a way, it was both new, and yet had been with him all this time.

Shen looked around, finding that the panda had fallen back behind while he had been thinking. Further behind him, the badger labored to carry the heavy pack they had stuck him with.

Shen briefly entertained the notion of telling Po his psychological reasons for being sarcastic, but dismissed it. It would take too long to explain deep emotional values to that panda, who seemed to take everything at surface value.

He suddenly squinted, eyeing Dunthrie struggling along the back of the group.

His pack was heavier than any of theirs, a result of punishment for tagging along. Nevertheless, he was slowing them down as a group...

He slowed his pace, and headed back towards the badger. Originally, he was going to help carry some of the weight, but that grand idea disappeared as he got closer.

"Having a good time, are we?" he asked, displaying some more of that sarcasm as he pulled alongside Dunthrie at last.

"Yup."

The single syllable seemed to be the only answer Shen got to any of his questions. Whether the badger was short of breath, or just non-talkative, Shen didn't know, but he didn't feel like bothering Dunthrie. Instead, he unhooked a sack from the pack, and took it himself.

The black-and-white mammal gave him a grateful look.

"Want to make sure it's properly carried," Shen explained quickly. He didn't want to seem too kind towards Dunthrie just yet.

Dunthrie nodded, and they both continued on their way.

Such periods interpolated the trek, however, most of it was simply dreary walking.

* * *

At first, on long walks, one will admire the scenery, looking around and seeing what is to see. But, there comes a point when all one wants to do is walk, to reach the destination so they can stop walking. In such a state, the only thing one thinks about are their legs, to make them move back and forth, back and forth.

Then, past that, one stops thinking, and becomes a sort of robot, just following the path and not doing anything else.

The group had long since passed the second state now. It came with a sense of frustration, as the landscape had not changed at all. Surrounding them still were tall, leafy trees, growing in the shadow of that accursed mountain! Were they never to leave it behind? Still it loomed alongside them, mocking their pathetic attempts at locomotion.

It seemed that it was going to be there forever, staying to their right side for infinity.

The shadow of the mountain, coupled with the endless walking, had placed a haze on their senses. Po only wished to reach his destination, while Dunthrie just wanted to stop walking. Shen, for once, agreed with the badger.

However, it seemed that no rest was permissible, so they just trodded along, step after measly step.

However, had they been fully cognitive, fully in-tune with their higher consciousness, at least one of them may have noticed something.

They may have noticed the not-quite natural contour of the small hill they were passing.

They might have noticed the somewhat strange bushes along that hill's sides.

They might have noticed... The glint of a deadly steel arrow, stealthily being fitted into a compound bow.

But no-one did.

So it was a good thing for them, then, that Phoenixes can fly.

Fenghuang, from her lofty vantage point, had a far better view of the ground than those below. A glint of steel caught her vision, and her eyes homed in accordingly.

She could see clearly. An arrow, being fitted into the string by a large, burly wolf, who was in the company of about five others.

About a million possibilities of what she could do passed through her mind, few of them feasible. She was left with only one option.

Her body arched in midair, hurtling her towards the ground in a graceful swoop. And she cawed.

The first thing that entered Po's numbed subconscious was that someone was... screaming? It was an odd noise...

The second thing he realized was that someone was Yin, and that she was cawing- a bird's instinctive alarm call.

Adrenaline levels in his blood soared, as the Phoenix landed beside him and pointed. He squinted to make out what she was so desperately gesturing towards...

When an arrow sailed from the bushes, and stuck next to Shen's foot, quivering like the tail of a rattlesnake.

Shen, already in a state of alarm from Yin's alarm call, leapt back a foot in surprise, then turned tail and rushed back to the others.

"Wolves," Po stated explanatorily, and Shen nodded.

"What do we do?" he muttered quickly, surveying the situation to answer just that fact.

"FIGHTING STANCES EVERYONE!" Po yelled, doing exactly that. He drew one hand behind his head, and held the other one out in front of him.

Shen leaped upwards in a giant leap, screaming as he did so.

"No you fool! They have arrows! They will shoot you where you stand!" he yelled.

As if to prove his point, another two arrows shot from the bushes, prompting Po to leap sideways and Fenghuang to take to the skies. Dunthrie, once he realized just what was happening, drew his axe and used the large blade like a shield, whimpering softly to himself while he did.

The arrows were poorly aimed, lodging themselves into the ground, but it was a danger nonetheless.

It appeared that there were only two archers, now the other four wolves lunged forward, brandishing their blades, which curved and shimmered like cruel tongues of flame.

Shen seethed, even as he splayed his train and drew his knives. Those were his weapons! He had designed them! Those weapons were shaped like flames, to be a reminder of Shen's fiery rage. Now they were being used against him.

"Hmmf..." the peacock muttered to himself, "Another way that old goat was right... Your anger does come back to haunt you."

An arrow whizzed directly towards his head, and he intercepted it with a knife in a lightning fast move, simeltaneously rolling sideways and flinging the other two at the oncoming wolves.

One stopped, his weapon knocked from his paws, while the other yelped and ducked, the knife passing over his head.

The weaponless wolf stopped and howled, the eerie noise echoing, perhaps for miles. The wolf who dodged leaped into the air, his blade over his head, and came down next to the peacock.

Po rushed up, blindsiding the wolf and sending him tumbling to the ground.

"That was easy," he muttered grimly, turning towards the other three wolves, one of which had drawn his dagger, having his sword knocked away.

A massive wolf, obviously in the lead of this small group, growled. That seemed to be a signal, as two more arrows whizzed towards the group, both aimed at Fenghuang. She yelped, and leaped upwards again.

Po sized up the advancing three. He turned to Shen and Dunthrie, and whispered out his battle plan.

"Okay, I'll take big wolf, Shen, you take ugly wolf, and Dunthrie, you take howling wolf."

Dunthrie gave a grim laugh at the names, and unslung his pack, allowing him to move more freely.

And it was on! Big wolf growled again. Two more arrows shot from the bushes, heading towards the party, forcing them to drop or be killed.

Ugly wolf and Howling wolf took advantage of this, and lunged forwards, one with a dagger and the other with a spear.

Shen got into his stance again, waiting for the canine to reach him. However, the wolf seemed to have targeted Po, and rushed at him.

Dunthrie didn't wait, and rushed forwards, giving the oncoming wolf a crushing blow to the kneecaps.

Howling wolf... well, he howled, gritting his teeth to resist the pain. He clenched his paws and bared his teeth at the badger, leaping for his face.

Dunthrie bared his teeth back at the wolf, and repulsed the canine with a blow from the shaft of his axe.

Po, meanwhile, shoved Ugly wolf out the way. "Shen! You take this guy!"

The arrows, Shen noticed, had stopped coming. On a glance, he saw why. Both archers were attempting to hit Fenghuang, who was whirling around the whole area on her wings. For that he was thankful...

He had no more time to see, as Ugly wolf was shoved in his direction. The wolf took one look at the peacock, and practically roared. Shen almost leaped back in surprise.

"You!" the canine growled ferally, "You will pay for what you did to us!"

"Will I?" Shen answered cooly, ignoring the rush of panic that flooded to his head. "We we see about that."

His knives came out of their sheaths, and his train unfolded.

The wolf almost cowered. Thirty years of learning to fear both the knives and the peacock that held them were not to be rubbed off so easily.

"Just run," the peacock suggested, advancing slowly. Ugly wolf looked uncertain, his ears going flat against his head.

"Get him!" Big wolf yelled, who was currently grappling with Po.

The wolf growled, all uncertainty gone, and rushed at Shen with his spear.

The peacock sighed, and took a step back, while bringing his wings up level with his face. Gracefully sidestepping the spear, he shoved it aside with his wings, then span right, spooning the wolf off his feet with the long feathers of his train.

The wolf yelped, and scrambled to his feet, just in time to receive a kick from Shen's metal-taloned feet, sending the canine sprawling back to the ground- where he was almost trod on by Po.

Po was in the middle of a intense fight with Big wolf, who had a sword. Po was forced on the defensive, avoiding the swipes and cuts from the massive canine, who was skillfully proving why swords were infinitely better at offensive combat than bare fists.

The panda made a dive sideways, yanking away the wolf's sheath from it's side.

"Ahhah!" he exclaimed, using the sheath to parry the big canine's downward stroke. In the second the wolf was unprotected, Po drew back his fist-

And landed sprawling on the ground, having tripped on Ugly wolf's body. Big wolf grinned and stabbed, but Po rolled out of the way.

Ugly wolf raised himself on all fours, and pounced on Po's back in an animalistic fashion, using his teeth to tear into the nape of a neck. Big wolf took the opportunity, and advanced-

But was thrown back by Shen, who landed in front of him with 'WHHOOSH', wielding Ugly wolf's spear.

The leader of the pack growled in frustration, and brought his sword spinning down over his head. The blade met wood, parried expertly by the spear in Shen's wings.

Po flipped Ugly over on his back, and threw him on the ground. The canine lay prostrate, unmoving.

Dunthrie finally lunged forwards, using his axe like a hammer, and clove in the Howling wolf's shoulder armor, the force of the blow knocking the wolf sideways to the ground. Dunthrie did not let him rise, hefting up the heavy travel sack and dumping it on Howling's head.

The two archers rushed from the bushes, still firing arrows at Fenghuang. But none of their projectiles were coming remotely close-

They heard a yell, and looked over at their comrades. One was on the ground, the other was under a sack...

And they looked just in time to see Shen send their leaders sword spinning, and Po kick him fifteen feet away.

One wolf looked at the other in horror. Both pairs of eyes floated back to Fenghuang, who landed before them.

"Good night," she whispered. Her wings flung out, and a blaze of light came from her body. The wolves tried to cover their eyes, but it was too late. Everything went black.

"Hey! I can't see! I'm blind!" one yelped, feeling his face frantically.

"Argh! What did you do to us!?" his comrade wailed, searching for the Phoenix with no success.

"So that's that?" Po asked, "Well... That was easy."

"Hey! We are still here! You can't just leave us like this!" the canine archer wailed.

"I have a wife and children!" the other moaned, still searching for Yin, "You can't just leave!"

Big wolf tried to moan something from the ground, but failed. He slumped back over in a faze.

"Come on now, we should move along..." Shen reminded gently, "That tiger could be anywhere around here..."

"Ugh..." Dunthrie commented, heaving the pack to his shoulder, "Shen's right. We should go... Quickly, too."

Fenghuang stood there, frozen in place. Shen noticed she looked a little green.

"Yin?" he began uncertainly, not exactly comfortable with the idea of having any conversation in front of two full aware enemies, even if they were blind. "We really should leave... Now."

"It's temporary..." Yin muttered, her voice somewhat feeble, "Your sight should return within the hour..."

"Come on guys!"

Po exclaimed, already going down the path,"Hurry up! We have ground to cover!"

Shen winced. "Er... Po, your neck..."

Po stopped, and felt the back of his head. A searing pain shot through his body, and he felt something wet on his fingers. He didn't need to know what that was.

"Oh come on! It's just a scratch!" he smiled reassuringly, "Nothing a bandage can't fix..."

Fenghuang still had her eyes locked on the blinded wolves, her eyes wide with horror.

Finally, hearing Po's voice, she looked at him- and the red smear on the back of his head.

The world seemed to go grey for a moment, and she abruptly lost control of her legs.

She fainted.

Shen yelped. "Oh come on!" he mumbled to himself grimly, as he rushed to the fallen phoenix, and attempted to wake her.

"Is she alright then?" Dunthrie, who was closest, asked cautiously.

"No, she's fainted," Shen replied, pulling Yin up. She was as limp as a rag.

"Anyone have any smelling salts?"

Dunthrie suggested.

"Er, I think I have some," One of the blinded wolves offered, "Only I can't find it. I think it's in one of my pockets..."

Shen looked up in surprise and suspicion at the lupine. "Po! Get rid of this person for me, will you?"

Po rushed up and delivered a tremendous uppercut to the first blinded wolf, then a hammer fist to the second wolves stomach. Both wolves collapsed, one unconscious, and the other terribly winded.

"That's not what I meant!" Shen hissed dangerously, his eyes narrowing further into slits, "You can't solve everything with your fist, panda!"

"Oops." a bemused and embarrassed Po replied, a sheepish grin crossing his features.

Shen rolled his eyes, and turned back to the phoenix in his wings. Still she remained completely out of it.

"This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed irritably, "Who can be this delicate?"

A twig snapped.

"You should have seen yourself, when you first saw blood, eh?"

All eyes snapped to the direction of the gruff voice. A wolf, with a hammer clutched in his paw. And his right eye sealed permanently shut.

Oh, and beside him, a white tiger with a gleaming drawn sword, and golden armor.

* * *

_Author's note: I'm back, from the obscure cays of the Bahamas! I'm sorry for the delay, guys, I really am. I home you like this chapter._


	19. Skirmish

Chapter Eighteen

* * *

Shen felt the wave of memories, both good and bad, hit him like a typhoon. Abruptly, he felt dizzy, and it was only by the greatest effort he stopped himself from keeling over.

He gulped. "Hao..." he murmured, his voice pathetic and feeble.

"Wolf boss... Guy!" Po exclaimed, taking a step back.

"Doesn't anyone see me, or am I invisible?" Zhung Chai asked sarcastically, taking a confident step forwards.

Hao's eye remained where it was. Locked on the white peacock with an immovable glare. He was a predator, Shen was the prey.

"So you do remember my name," he spat bitterly, raising his hammer, "I was sure you had forgotten it... I thought if I signed my name on that note, you wouldn't recognize it."

"I never forgot it, Hao..." Shen almost whimpered, "It just- just slipped my mind at times..."

"Slipped your mind for ten hellish years!" Wolf Boss growled, then abruptly changed, his face going to one of consternation.

"You did get that note, didn't you? I mean, I wouldn't want to have gone to all that trouble being sinister and stuff if you didn't get it..."

Shen blinked, unable to speak.

"Where's your impudent tongue now, peacock?" Zhung taunted arrogantly, smirking at the group.

"And don't tell me," Hao asked mockingly, gesturing to Dunthrie in the back, "That badger is your attempt at hiring a mercenary? I expected better from you, Shen."

"Hey! You can be evil, but that doesn't mean you have to be all nasty-like!" Po defended valiantly, "He's a tag-along, and he's not a mercenary... However you pronounce that."

Shen finally regained his voice. "Mer-sen-air-ee, Po," he informed with a disgusted tone.

"What are you doing with this panda here, anyway?" Hao inquired, almost comically, "It makes it harder to get revenge if he gets here first."

"I'm not here for revenge!" Po exclaimed.

"Revenge is a petty, small thing," Shen stated coldly, at the almost same time, "One thing I hoped you were above."

"Hmmf, says mister 'waited thirty years biding time for my revenge'," Hao muttered sarcastically.

"Again, my words haunt me," Shen mumbled.

"Are we quite done with this all-too-friendly conversation yet?" Zhung growled, "Because I am growing mightily weary!"

"Quiet, teaface!" Po glared, taking a fighting stance.

"How dare you insult me, mortal panda! I am Zhung Chai... Chai.. ha ha, very clever panda. Chai is a tea flavor, but Nevermind!"

The tiger's eyes flared, and he brought his sword into an attack position with a deadly flourish. "Our rival is unconscious, unable to flit away! You" - he gestured at Shen - "Are preoccupied with carrying said rival, and the panda and badger were useless anyway!"

Po and Dunthrie looked insulted, while Shen looked worried, glancing down quickly at the unconscious Phoenix in his wings. Zhung was right. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, if you wanted them all dead.

"Watch who you're calling useless, teaface!" Po yelled, swirling his hands behind his back, "I happen to be the MIGHTY DRAGON WARRIOR!"

Zhung raised his eyebrows, while Hao took a worried step back.

"Careful kitty, that panda packs a mean punch." he rubbed his face, perhaps reminiscing on some ancient wound.

The tiger nudged the wolf rather roughly with his elbow.

"Quiet!" he hissed.

Shen's mind raced. Did he drop the Phoenix, enabling him to fight? Or did he rather gallantly carry her off to safety? (His stomach churned at that thought, it was a bit much, even for the situation.) Or... He could drop Fenghuang and fly away.

He shook his head and threw away the thought like a dirty rag.

"Well, Shen," Wolf Boss half grinned, half growled, "Looks like there is nowhere to fly to now!"

"Stay back!" Po yelled, beginning to spin, "Thundering wind hammer!"

A burst of green energy erupted from the panda's palm, impacting Zhung in his middle. The blow sent the tiger flying fifty feet back through the air, and into a tree.

"Ouch," Zhung moaned.

Hao took a worried step back.

But Po yelped, and gripped his own wrist, wailing pitifully.

"Ahahhaoowww!" he yelled, flailing his hand in the air, "That hurt! That really hurt! Owies!"

"That's because..." Zhung said, standing unsteadily to his feet, "She's here." he gestured to Fenghuang.

"She has activated the earth tear within you, and now using wind attacks is like breathing underwater."

"Ouch!" Po continued to do his pained dance. "Hey, how do you know all that?"

"One does not become as powerful as I without knowing a few things!" Zhung smirked, his eyes growing dangerously alight. A fireball generated in his paws, and he held it aloft.

"But now, panda, it is time to die!"

Po groaned. "So I can only do rock attacks? But I don't know any"- he cut his eyes over to a large stone, lying on the ground - "Nevermind, I figured something out."

He made a dive for the rock just as Zhung flung the fireball. The burning sphere barely missed the panda, singing the fur of his short tail.

Shen ducked out of instinct, even though the projectile was nowhere near him. He moved his eyes quickly towards Hao, who was watching the display of pyrokinetics with interest. Thank goodness for that...

Po, meanwhile, hefted up the boulder on his shoulders. "My turn!" he grinned.

Zhung and Hao's eyes widened, and they both dived for cover, as Po flung the massive stone at them. There was a crash. Po had missed,

but it served to make the attackers more cautious.

Shen, taking his moment, rose to his feet, hefted up Fenghuang as best he could, and made a dash from the path and into the thick trees.

Zhung did not seem to notice, his eyes fixed on Po. Wolf Boss, however, did, and made after him in a hurry.

"Wait!" Zhung yelled, "Don't go after him by yourself! Take the wolves with you!"

"But-" Hao began, but was interrupted by Zhung snapping his fingers. The unconscious wolves rose to their feet almost instantly.

"Oh..." Hao nodded. "Come on! Get that peacock!"

Shen, in the forest, heard the cry, and looked around frantically for somewhere to hide-

Something crunched behind him, and he whirled in alarm. But it was only Dunthrie, running alongside him.

"Oh... I had forgotten about you," Shen remarked, amazingly calm considering the situation. At least his voice was.

"Yah, it's just me," the badger replied.

His voice was panicked, but his eyes... They were crafty.

"I'm getting out of here!" he panted, and dropped to all fours, digging himself a burrow remarkably fast. Within a minute, he had a tunnel almost fifteen feet long.

Shen watched in amazement, then snapped to his senses. If the badger was getting out that way... Why not follow him?

Turning, he darted down the passage after Dunthrie. And right in the nick of time, as the wolves howled past, careening and swerving through the trees.

Shen peered through the slight opening of the tunnel, watching with baited breath as the wolves passed.

By some miracle, the lupines missed the hiding place, and continued their mad rush through the trees. It seemed they were not using their noses, instead keeping their eyes in the tree-branches.

Shen breathed out in relief as the sounds of pursuit faded into the forest. It seemed they were safe, at least for now.

Fenghuang shifted softly in his wings.

He looked down at her in quiet amazement. He had actually forgotten about her... She looked so helpless like this, like a child, or... Words failed him.

But looking at her, helpless, made him realize something. The realization dawned on him, slowly at first, but continued to build until it was a tidal wave.

Why was he running, hiding, cowering? Why was he fleeing, from five wolves and an ex-friend? He was not helpless... His redemption had softened him, made him more aware of the consequences of his actions... But had it turned him into a coward? In his days, he had taken on more and deadlier enemies... Why did he run now?

Because he would rather save a life, by fleeing, than end several by fighting.

But now, as the sounds of battle between Po and Zhung reached his ears, he realized that he should run no longer.

"Stay here, Dunthrie..." he instructed soberly, "Look after Yin. I-I'm going to help Po."

Before the badger could react, he was out the tunnel and away, flitting between the trees and back to the battlefield.

However, his exit went not unnoticed. It was not a minute later when he heard howls behind him, and he whirled, brandishing his knives and cawing aloud.

A wolf, ahead of his pack, lunged forward with a spear. With a flick of his wing, Shen sent two knives sailing into the canine's wrist, causing him to howl and drop his spear.

* * *

Zhung heard the howl, and grinned. "Sounds like the wolves found your friend, panda!"

Po, panting, sweaty and somewhat burnt, growled, and sent a final punch at the tiger. The blow staggered the feline, who recovered himself with a groan, and retaliated with a forwards thrust of his sword.

Po swept the blade sideways by grabbing Zhung's wrist, and head butted the tiger forcefully, hoping to knock him down. The feline, however, absorbed the blow, bending backwards like a spring, then using the leverage to catapult himself forward.

Po had no time to react before Zhung's fist hit him in the face, and he staggered backwards, not having the balance that the cat had. Zhung followed up with a smashing blow to the panda's head with the pommel of his sword.

"Take that, oh mighty dragon warrior!" Zhung yelled triumphantly.

Po growled, and swung his foot into the tiger's knee. The feline collapsed sideways, but twisted in midair, returning to his feet perfectly-

Only to see Po turning tail and running back into the trees.

Zhung growled, and moved to all fours, hunting by scent. It was that Phoenix he was after, not Po, and he was going to get her!

* * *

Shen swooped up the wolf's spear, and cawed again.

The wolf, lunging forward, had no time to react before a lightning fast blow to his temple rendered him unconscious.

He was one of the lucky ones.

Sher whirled to face the oncoming lupines, the spear twirling effortlessly in his wingtips. The balance was different than his old lance, but it would do.

The second wolf reached him, and was greeted with a stunning left strike, which brushed aside the canine's own like paper.

The wolf, staggered but not defeated, stabbed forwards with his sword, but met air as Shen whirled over his head, and stabbed him in the back.

The peacock turned to engage the next while the body was still falling, his white feathers shooting out two more knives into the oncoming third canine's chest. That wolf fell with a thud.

Two more attacked at once, their synchronized attacks coming from both sides. Shen pivoted up on the shaft of spear, and flung a volley of silver knives at both. One fell, however, the other managed to block with his sword.

Shen fell back to earth, and lunged. The single remaining wolf parried the extended stab, and swirled the blade back and around. The flame-like projections on the sword caught the shaft of the spear, and with a twist, the weapon went flying from Shen's grasp.

Not missing a beat, the peacock backflipped backwards, extending his staff. He had used it earlier this morning, sparring with Fenghuang.

The peacock and wolf locked weapons. Red eyes met grey, and Shen smirked. Then, with a swirl of long white train feathers, the wolf was on his back, confused and befuddled, before being pinned to the ground by five long knives.

Shen was left alone, a mass of gray fur surrounding him. Six. That only left one.

"I see you still haven't lost it," Wolf Boss noted, looking over the six fallen, unconscious, or dead wolves with a potent mixture of rage and amazement. His pack was like family. Hurting them was like hurting him.

As if in slow motion, Shen span the staff and moved into his stance, unfolding three knives in the other wing.

Hao, in turn, brought his hammer up somberly.

"You can't win this, you know," Shen remarked slowly, hoping to turn this battle aside. If there was the slightest chance...

"We both know that I am the better fighter."

"I'll be happy if I can get in one good hit on you," the wolf growled, his single eye narrowing to a slit in concentration, "But I have a feeling I'll get more than that."

"What are you-"

Shen's sentence was never finished, as a bundle of black and white swept him up and carried him off.

Hao staggered back at the surprise intrusion. It took him several seconds to realize that Po had made off with Shen, and he howled, barreling forward in pursuit.

Shen himself was at first panicked, then surprised, then indignant.

"Put me down, panda! I say! Put me down!" he hissed.

Po did not reply until he had squeezed down Dunthrie's burrow, edging his way through the narrow passage.

It was then that he placed Shen on the soft ground, as gently as if he was made of glass.

"Are you alright Shen?" he asked, the unmistakable tone of worry on his voice.

"Yes I'm fine!" Shen retorted in significant annoyance, "You just interrupted a private confrontation!"

Po looked both relieved and sad. "Well, I was just trying to help..."

Shen took a deep breath, trying to calm down from the haze of bloodlust and adrenaline that was pulsing through his system.

"I'm sorry, Po..."

"Well well well, it seems I have found your rat's hole!" the unmistakably arrogant voice of Zhung Chai blasted down at them. They both jumped in surprise.

"You are trapped. I could destroy you all right now, but I am reasonable... Just hand out that Phoenix and you can go scott-free."

Behind Shen, Dunthrie gestured quietly, leading the panda and peacock further down the tunnel.

The peacock turned hastily, pushing after Dunthrie. Po followed with some difficulty, as the tunnel was not quite wide enough for him to be comfortable.

The droning sounds of Zhung's voice floated down at them from above. Apparently, the tiger was still talking, unaware of his target's absence. Po could not hold back a wry smile at this.

The tiger was indeed continuing to speak, so sure of his own superiority and of his target's entrapment, that he did not feel it needed to be certain of his targets presence.

Hao reached him, and almost instantly began heading down the tunnel, when he felt a paw on his shoulder, holding him back.

"Hold on, wolf!" Zhung grinned, pulling Hao to his feet, "The time given has elapsed! The timer of their lives has just rung!"

He stepped back from the tunnel, and smiled grimly. With a smooth movement, he brought his paws together, opening his fingers like the unfurling petals of a flower. A tiny orb of light hovered between his fingers for a second-

Just before the massive geyser of flame which erupted from the orb, flowing down the tunnel. The hole was instantly filled with fire.

"And the deed is done, Hao! The Phoenix will trouble us no longer!" Zhung triumphed, an expression of absolute assurance plastered on his face.

"Are you sure about that?" Hao questioned intently, "That peacock is an escape artist..."

"Fine! I will cater to your worries this time. Search the tunnel if you must," the tiger conceded.

Hao did so, his long grey snout poking through the narrow entrance. The wolf's sensitive nostrils took in the scents, analyzing and categorizing the data found there. His eye also roved back and forth, searching for charred remains, burning bones, anything. But nothing was there.

"Hey! They aren't in here!" he exclaimed in anguished surprise, pulling himself from the tunnel.

"They aren't in there! They must have escaped somehow!"

"What? Impossible!" Zhung sputtered, the fur on his neck rising suddenly, "They were in there when I arrived! They could not have escaped!"

He lowered himself to the ground, and peered inside the dark tunnel himself, his own fiery eyes searching in increasing confusion.

Despite his efforts, neither hair nor hide of the supposedly dead group was at all visible.

"It's not possible!" he exclaimed, standing to his feet in disarray. "It just isn't possible! They could not have escaped the hole..."

"It's not a hole, it's a tunnel," Hao reminded, still peering down the entrance.

"What's the blasted difference!? I don't understand..." Zhung continued to stutter. His normally arrogant tone was becoming increasingly frantic, and his white face was even whiter than normal.

"It's not possible! IT IS NOT POSSIBLE! I know! They were burnt up so completely, there's nothing left!"

His eyes met Hao's single red eye, and he sighed defeatedly.

"That doesn't really make sense, does it?"

Wolf Boss shook his head slowly.

Zhung continued to blither incoherently for another half-hour. Shen, Po, Dunthrie, and Fenghuang were miles away by then.

It took the tiger a further fifteen minutes to stumble across the other end of the tunnel, two hundred feet away.

* * *

_Author's note: Ok, I have to be honest. I could have posted this weeks ago. But I was lazy, and just didn't do it. Sorry for leaving you on that cliffhanger for so long!_

_Also, I noticed something. Here I am, nearly 70,000 words into the story, and not one disclaimer! How atrocious!_

_So here it is: I own nothing. The Furious Five, Lord Shen, Po, and Wolf Boss belong to dreamworks. I only own the OC's and the plot, and my grasp on that is limited at best. So don't sue me._

_Thank you! Please read and review!_


	20. Team dynamic

Chapter Nineteen

* * *

The wind was cold, especially after leaving the stuffy air in the tunnel.

Po shivered, and continued forward. The battle they had left barely an hour ago still had them all jumpy. How does one just walk away from a blatant attempt on one's life?

Fenghuang, fully conscious and functioning again, continued with them. She was not flying this time. Indeed, her legs were still quivering from the excitement and adrenaline from before.

"Are you alright?" Shen inquired of her cordially, however the trace of ice around his voice did not go unnoticed.

"Fine..." she replied briefly, her usual fluency all but nonexistent.

"No more imminent fainting fits, I hope?" the unfriendly edge rose a notch, yet the peacock's face remained blank.

Fenghuang's face flushed pink, embarrassed over her display of fragility.

"I'd rather not bring that subject up..." she sighed, hiding her shamed feelings from the party around her.

Shen nodded, but couldn't help himself from feeling slightly annoyed at the Phoenix, even though he knew it was not her fault. She had put them all in considerable danger with that fainting trick of hers...

Danger which he and Po were forced to get them out of.

He determined to begin teaching her more offensive moves, next time he trained her.

Shen suddenly felt something, deep inside him, sicken at the thought of the attack they had just ran through.

Yet, another part of him, much closer up, screamed in a haze of bloodlust and desire for death.

It scared him, how easily he had taken lives in the fight with the wolves, before Po reached him. How very simple it was to embed a knife into flesh, and then move on to the next.

Of course, he reasoned to himself, it was their lives or his own. And he had people to protect, a place to be. Yet, could he have done less? Could he have stunned where he had killed? Did those wolves really have to die?

Shen pondered the question in his head, muddling over the possibilities.

No. Death was Shen's style, as ominous as that sounds. When one fights with fists, one can beat down an opponent. Break his will to fight, intimidate him. But there is no negotiation with cold, ruthless steel. There is no warning blow with a knife. There is only the lethal, and the non-lethal.

Again, though... Even with his own self-convincing, doubts weighed heavily on his mind.

And slight traces of anger.

In truth, he probably would have never even entered that fight if not for Yin. Her... weakness, it endangered others around her to a great extent. Not weakness of body, but of mind. Whether or not that was worse escaped his reasoning.

He knew one thing though... He could not trust his life to her wings. He could not really trust his life to very many people, but Yin had proven herself untrustworthy...

Yet, he remembered, she had no trepidations trusting her own life to him. Which... Was both somewhat comforting, and greatly worrying. To hold someone's life in your wings is a great responsibility. A LIFE and a DEATH hinge upon your every decision, your every footstep... even, your every breath. And that had never been better illustrated than just an hour ago, when he, Shen Lee Han, had literally held Fenghuang, the celestial Phoenix, in his wings.

For some reason, her nestled in his wings had seemed... right, yet completely wrong. It could not have been Po or Dunthrie holding her... It had to be him. He knew for a fact that she was safer with him, then with the bear or badger... Yet she should not have needed safety at all. She was the guardian of the birds, almost a goddess to Shen's kind.

Her needing his help irked him strangely. Whatever the case, remembering her, limp in his feathers, absolutely helpless... He couldn't be quite as angry at her anymore. She was just unused to violence, something she would grow out of in time.

Perhaps he could even help her in that respect.

He looked up at the sky. The sun waxed high, at it's zenith. It was a hot day, but it still felt cold to the peacock.

They hurried, the brisk pace borne out of fear and desperation. It was still weeks from the nearest village.

Dunthrie even was hurrying. The badger had truly surprised both Shen and Yin, his natural ability to dig coming in extremely useful. Po, however, had not seemed surprised in the least.

Well, now he had proven himself to be both brave to an extent, and cunning. Shen noted to give him more respect as a comrade. He had earned that respect.

Po trotted alongside, panting slightly under the strain of the increased pace. He wasn't too fond of running from battles, but he understood that it was needed sometimes.

He shot a nervous glance over his shoulder, through the trees behind him. They had left the path behind now, staying in the thickest trees and the heaviest foliage.

Po personally thought that made it so much creepier.

The trees behind him were empty, their tall grey trunks reaching up into the sky, keeping the sunlight from reaching the travelers backs.

However, their cover in the trees was lessening, as they moved further and further away from the nourishing shadow of the mountain. It would not be much longer before the trees became too sparse to hide them, and then...

Po wondered just how many times they could continue to dodge Zhung Chai.

He knew their number was lowering. It would not be long before he caught them. And then they would have nowhere to hide.

Above him, the sun sat in a sky of brass. Not a cloud was in the sky.

* * *

Elsewhere, the same sun hovered over the Valley of Peace, sending it's benevolent rays down to the village below. The citizens went about their business as usual, unaware of the affairs of life and death that went on elsewhere.

In the Jade Palace, life went on as usual. Po wasn't there, so it was just the Furious Five again...

It was somewhat of an insult, then, that because the Dragon Warrior was gone, several bandits thought that raiding the village would be easy pickings.

'Well then' Tigress thought to herself grimly, 'It's my job to show them how wrong they are."

She climbed the ten thousand steps to the Jade Palace with practiced ease, reaching the doors quickly.

Upon entering, she sought out Master Shifu. He was standing serenely next to the bottomless moon pool, gazing into it's depths with a thoughtful, mysterious expression.

Tigress, who knew her master probably better than anyone, smiled slightly. Sometimes of late, Shifu reminded her more of Oogway than the old master she knew.

"Shifu!" she hailed, bowing in the Chinese fashion.

The red panda turned slowly, and met her.

"Tigress," he affirmed, nodding his head.

"Taotie's..." Tigress hesitated, trying to remember the warthog's latest disaster's name, "swirling funnel of doom has been defeated."

"Were you injured?" Shifu inquired, an expression of concern briefly passing over his face.

"No, both me and Mantis are fine, just a little... dizzy," Tigress reassured, "Mantis stayed behind to help clean the mess."

"Did anything else happen while you were out there?" Shifu inquired, what could almost be considered a knowing smile passing across his features.

Tigress raised an eyebrow. "Shifu, the only other thing that happened is that a villager was talking about the owl Fenghuang. She was spotted over the southern district."

Shifu looked both annoyed and surprised. "The owl? How does she keep escaping?"

"Chor-Gom's security of late has not been satisfactory, master," Tigress reminded, looking at the floor.

"I realize that, Tigress, but I cannot help to wonder why," Shifu affirmed, "Has the owl attacked the valley yet?"

"No, master," Tigress informed, "Not yet."

Shifu nodded slightly, and sighed, perhaps out of memories, or just tiredness. "Well, we must be ready for when she does. Assemble the five, tell them your report. Then train for two hours. I am going to meditate."

Tigress nodded her consent. "Yes master. I will."

Shifu turned, and began to walk away. He stopped abruptly, and turned back.

"Tigress?" he asked, his eyes meeting hers.

"Yes?" she responded, returning his gaze without fear, but with a small amount of worry in her own amber gaze.

"You did well out there today. I'm proud of you." the red panda sent her a small smile, and continued on his way.

Tigress smiled involuntarily, a sudden spark of memory playing through her mind. Her father was returning after all.

She too turned, and headed towards the training hall.

* * *

Fenghuang the owl soared over the Valley of Peace, several miles up. She was nothing but a speck in the sky, to any passer-by below.

Her sharp eyes roved over the Valley, scrutinizing the streets and houses.

She planned it's demise in her head. She would rule over it with wings of fire and steel, like she had been born to. It was her destiny.

But destiny, for her, had come late.

A sigh escaped her beak, of longing, and lust for power. But also... Of sorrow, out of sadness for what could have been, had things only been different.

But they never had been different. Oogway had taught her, and he had defeated her, much to her chagrin. The very master she had trained so hard under, the palace she had wanted to enter with every fiber of her being... They all had rejected her.

So, it was up to her to take it all back. Her. Alone. By herself, like it always had been. All she needed was power. And she had plenty of that.

Well, not quite all. She needed a good strategy as well. Talons of steel and wings of iron were not enough. She needed weaknesses, she needed information.

However, she had no way to get it. Yet.

The owl made a slight angling turn, lowering her altitude by even degrees. She had a slight lead... One that might help her. It wasn't much, but she had to start somewhere.

Fenghuang let out a screech, and sailed down towards the ground.

* * *

"We found it! We've found the scent!" the wolf's coarse voice rung out unevenly, his nose still glued to the ground.

Zhung, standing unsteadily against a tree, let out a long sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness..." he whispered in a low, drawn voice, sinking against the tree's trunk slowly.

Suddenly becoming conscious of the stares of his wolves on him, the tiger straightened himself out, resuming his commanding gaze.

"The phoenix shall not escape us again!" he yelled, raising his fist in the air, "By their cowardice, they have so far survived, but no more! We shall overtake them again, and they shall pay in blood for the damage they have caused! To us, to our honor, to our families, and to our pride! THEY WILL PAY!"

The wolves answered his last statement with a collective roar of their own, howling and jeering like the animals they were.

Hao, standing among the wolves, was silent. Today, he had seen Shen. And his belief in inescapable fate had been shaken.

He now wondered... Were they doing all this... For a mistake?

* * *

Five miles away, the group of travelers had made good progress, skirting their way through the ever-smaller trees and bushes. Now, a babbling stream lay before them, where they had stopped to take a short drink of water, and find their bearings.

Well, that was the idea.

"Confound this map!" Shen's yell rang out.

Po, reading over the peacock's shoulder, was helping the best he could.

"The path we were just on's right there," he said, pointing with his index finger, "So we are... Somewhere. I dunno."

Shen rolled his eyes, shaking the map in his wings. "The path is the easy part, Po... But I have no idea where we are now."

"Can't you go by the mountain? Or this stream? Aren't they, like, on the map too?"

"Yes, but these confounded trees are in the way, and I can't tell which stream is which..." the peacock explained, his voice rampant with frustration.

Dunthrie came up, and glanced at the map, then at the mountain. "The mountain's northwest of here, so that stream here's the one we're at."

Shen looked at the map, and up at the mountain in astonishment. "How did you do that?" he asked incredulously.

The badger only winked. "Have to know your directions when you're underground," he explained simply, "Shall we be going then?"

Po clapped enthusiastically. "Awesome! That was so cool!" he exclaimed, leaning forward, "He made you look lame, Shen."

Shen sputtered silently, shaking his head irritably. "When I was growing up, I had people to look at the map for me."

Po made a knowing expression, looking away from the peacock amusedly.

"Excuse me, boys!" Fenghuang's cool voice reached over, and they all looked. She was leaning agains a tree, almost coyly.

"Are going any further today? I should like to go a little further before night falls."

Shen looked exasperated. "I realize that, Yin, and we are aware that we are being pursued... But we might as well be going back to the Valley of Peace for all the direction we were making."

_"And for all the help you have been,"_ he muttered under his breath, hoping the Phoenix didn't hear.

Fenghuang, however, did hear the remark, and lapsed into silence. She didn't really have anything to say.

"Well I-... I..." she began weakly, but stopped.

It was mostly true. Fenghuang had not helped with the practical things much, but...

That was because she didn't know how to DO anything. Watching everyone fiddle with the map, and watching them fight off a pack of wolves...

And carrying her away, while she was busy being draped uselessly like a limp rag.

In short, she felt like a third wheel on a bicycle. She felt clumsy, utterly lost in a world of people who knew exactly what they were doing.

Still, the remark stung.

"Very well," she stated finally, her voice unnaturally calm, "Now that we have our directions... Shall we go?"

Without waiting for their response, she launched herself into the air, gliding effortlessly into the upper airs.

Shen rushed uselessly forwards, trying to stop her, but pulled himself up.

"Oh brother," he groaned, turning to Po, "She wasn't supposed to hear that."

"Yin!" Po called after the Phoenix, "Don't overreact! Come back!"

"She's rather tender inside, eh?" Dunthrie commented.

"Apparently so..." Shen grumbled, plodding forwards after Fenghuang, "Just wait for her to cool down..."

"Yeah," Po agreed, giving up on Yin, "She'll see that it wasn't that bad of an insult."

"She had better," Shen continued, "Or this is going to be one extremely long trip."

"I wonder if the queen of birds can execute people she doesn't like?" Po wondered, placing a paw on his chin.

Shen raised his eyebrows, suddenly feeling rather worried. He shook his head in slight irritation, result of a rather deep founded belief in his own invulnerability. Although that belief had taken a shaking lately, he still had some traces of it around the edges.

"Don't worry lad, I'm sure that is a bit much, even for someone as emotionally unstable as the lady there," Dunthrie reassured, patting the peacock roughly on the back.

"I don't think she can, anyway," Shen supposed, mostly to reassure himself, "And you are absolutely right, I shouldn't be in any danger even if she could."

"Are you going to come, or not?" Fenghuang called down, swooping gracefully over their heads.

"Well excuse us for not having wings!"

Shen shouted up to her, slight irritation in his voice.

"Excuse me for not having the slightest idea how a map works!" the Phoenix retorted.

For the next several hours, Phoenix and peacock argued unceasingly, about whatever happened to come to mind. They were both rather tired, cross... And extremely good at arguing.

Finally, after what seemed like weeks, Fenghuang and Shen had finally come to the subject of divinity and knowledge...

When Po decided enough was enough.

"Can you both just stop it already!?" he yelled, throwing his arms up in the air, "I mean come on! Can either of you even remember what you were arguing about in the first place?"

"He implied I was useless!" Fenghuang rattled, her crest fully erect in irritation.

"She gave the distinct impression that I was slow, and/or flightless," Shen replied loftily, his own crest and train wavering vertically, almost imperceptibly.

Po gave them both a strange look, then sighed. "Goodness, you guys are hopeless."

Dunthrie noted them both, and came to a rather different conclusion.

"Sheesh, whatever happened to sibling love then?" he stated sarcastically.

Both Fenghuang and Shen made gasps of shock, stepping away from each other in distaste.

"We- we are most certainly not..." Fenghuang spluttered, at a complete loss for a word describing the magnitude of stupidity the badger had just displayed.

"I'm not related to her in the slightest," Shen hissed, his train almost rising in his ire.

"You aren't?" Dunthrie asked, sounding genuinely surprised, "But you look so alike! Don't they look alike, Po?"

"Now that you mention it..." Po nodded, placing his law on his chin, "They do look a lot alike... They even talk similar."

"You jest!" Fenghuang almost growled in response.

Shen, however, rolled his eyes and stepped forwards in a lordly manner.

He stopped, and turned back to Fenghuang.

"My, how my blind eyes have been opened!" he began, in a tone of false shock and friendliness, "How very strange it is to meet my sister again, after all these years! I could have sworn all my siblings were killed in that firework explosion..."

Dunthrie gulped. "Oops..."

"What on this earth are you talking about?" Fenghuang exclaimed, stepping back in horror, and a little bit of fear.

Shen, however, was not finished.

"Come, dear sister," he continued, sending a wing in her direction, "A peahen like you (which you must be, if you are my sister) should not be traveling so far out in the wild."

"What are you implying, peacock?!" Fenghuang yelled, taking another step backwards.

"Step back everybody!" Shen exclaimed, pushing back Po and Dunthrie with his wings, "You must not step on my dear sister's train... It quite exquisite, is it not? In fact, it's quite strange she has it, since PEAHENS DON'T HAVE TRAINS!"

With that last statement, Shen exploded. He whirled on Po and Dunthrie, a manic expression on his face.

"And, since she obviously has one, that means that either I am a Phoenix, which I can assure you, I am not, or, you can come to the logical, reasonable, and just FREAKING OBVIOUS conclusion that we are NOT RELATED! We aren't even the same SPECIES!"

The peacock finally ran out of breath, and just stood there, panting.

"He's a little touchy about his species," Po helpfully whispered to Dunthrie.

"So..." the badger pondered naively, "Are ye dating, then?"

Shen snarled. "I've had it! I have had ENOUGH!"

He whirled, and stormed off through the trees, his voice growing fainter and fainter as he got further away.

"Wait! Hey!" Po called after him, "Come back!"

The panda turned to Dunthrie.

"Don't just stand there, go after him!"

"Nah, I think he needs some time to himself, laddie," Dunthrie replied, chewing on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully.

"Yeah, maybe," Po conceded, "But he still has the map!"

"Oh come on!" Fenghuang groaned, "Just leave him! We do not need the map anyway... Oh, how could you be so STUPID?!"

The last remark was aimed pointedly at Dunthrie, who scooted away shamefully.

"Guys!" Po pleaded, throwing out his arms, "Do you have too always be arguing! This whole thing is going to fall apart if don't can it, AND CATCH THAT PEACOCK!"

The Phoenix huffed and rolled her eyes, yet she still started off into the air after Shen.

The three travelers rushed after the fleeing peacock, who was proving a hard target to follow.

"Shen! Wait up! You have the map! We need that!" Po gasped, following the receding white form through the trees, "Dunthrie didn't know what he was saying! I know you're tired, but this is just..."

He stopped, heaving for breath. The peacock vanished almost instantly into the bushes.

"Ridiculous," Po finished, before flopping to the ground in a heap.

Fenghuang's call sounded out, and the panda looked forward in time to see the Phoenix dive-bomb Shen.

The landed gracefully next to him, and the peacock swerved.

"Can't you leave me alone?" he growled, flitting left and away.

Fenghuang flew before him, spreading her wings and train to their full extent. Shen screeched to a halt, stopped by the massive wall of feathers-

Before sweeping his own train beneath her feet, causing her to take to the air again.

"Nothing stands in my way..." he smirked coldly.

Just then, a black and white ball of fat and fur barreled into him, causing both avians to tumble to the ground in a heap.

Shen wriggled helplessly beneath Po's massive weight, before finally giving up.

"This is the second time you've got me trapped under here, Yin" he remarked pointedly at the Phoenix, who was dusting herself off, "I hope you're happy."

Strange to say, the whole group got on better after that.

* * *

_Author's note: They are beginning to really get on each others nerves. Weariness will do that to you. And... It will probably get worse from here._

_And why did this take so long to post? I dunno. I was kinda lazy._


	21. Choulin Township

Chapter Twenty

* * *

They had progressed a long way in two weeks. It had been arduous to say the least, and downright exhausting to say the worst.

It was with great relief, then, that the small band of travelers at last found themselves upon the outskirts of Choulin township.

Choulin was a wholesome, quiet place, with flat, open spaces and low rolling hills. Not majestic, but beautiful in it's own way, it was home to about 750 individual residents, all of which were happy to call it home.

Fenghuang instantly felt this in the town's aura, as she stepped in. It was refreshing and surprising, and she was greatly glad of it.

"This place is well and homely," she remarked, turning to the others behind her, "We should do well to stay here for tonight."

Shen, who seemed to have become the group's unofficial Phoenix translator, looked around the town appraisingly.

"Easier said than done, Yin," he replied.

Despite the fact that they got along less than well on several occasions, Shen still felt disposed to keep his tone towards her respectful, if not all the time, then at least as often as he could. She was the queen of birds, after all.

"We are somewhat lacking in the way of monetary resources," he continued on, "And we cannot expect kindness to continue to afford us a room."

Fenghuang sighed. "True," she murmured absently, continuing to take in the view.

"Can we at least sit down?" Po's voice butted into the conversation, groaning beneath his heavy pack, "My feet are killing me!"

"I don't really see why not," Shen responded benevolently, "I think we should be entitled to a rest, after that most unpleasant walk."

Fenghuang frowned momentarily, considering. True, she did feel rather disposed towards stopping, now that they had reached their destination... But she did not want to stay here. She would rather rest under a roof.

But still she conceded, setting herself down beneath a convenient tree.

Dunthrie flopped himself on the ground without any such ceremony, for him, rest was something to be taken at the first opportunity.

It was a strangely surreal feeling to see houses again, Shen realized, looking at the village again. After weeks of nothing but trees, hills and that blasted mountain, it was shock to see these unnatural habitations here. A pleasant shock, however.

Shen looked down at himself, and realized he must look like some ragged mountain-man. His clothes were soiled and torn, he had cuts along his wings, and his feathers were somewhat unkempt. That would never do.

He ruffled his white feathers and began to preen, shaking out dandruff and dirt from the follicles. He noticed, from the corner of his eye, that Fenghuang was doing the same thing, although he could not fathom why. She had somehow managed to remain spotless throughout the entire trip so far, and Shen began to think that it was due to something more then simple avoidance of mess. He had to ask about her tailor sometime.

Po, on the other hand, was searching through the traveling pack rapidly, looking to see if they did in fact have any money handy.

It turns out, they did! Mr. Ping had been remarkably thorough in his packing job, and Po whispered some silent thanks to his adoptive father, now so far away.

"Hey guys!" he called to the others, a smug look on his face, "Look what I found!"

He held up the pouch of yuan, and grinned. Inside was at least enough money to afford a place to stay, as well as garner some food.

Shen frowned."Panda! You could have mentioned you had that sooner!"

"Well, how about you go find us a place to stay then, hmmm?" Dunthrie suggested, "I'll just sit here and wait..."

He suddenly found himself the center of several nasty glares, and he stood up.

"On second thoughts, it would be much better if we all went together! Come on then!"

Po grinned wryly at the badger, and hoisted the pack to his shoulders. "Hey, we should at least see the town, they might have some nice things... And didn't you say you needed some warmer clothes?"

The last remark was addressed to Fenghuang, who looked up abruptly. "Why yes, thank you for reminding me."

Shen stood up wearily, rolling his eyes.

"Hooray, let's all go shopping!" he muttered sarcastically, "I can't wait."

"That's the spirit, peacock!" Po nodded, with what may have been an equal amount of sarcasm in his eyes, "Let's get going!"

They all picked themselves up, and made sure they were as presentable as possible, given the situation. Then they were off, making their way down the winding streets of Choulin.

The houses were packed quite close together, as is common in small towns like these. The streets were full of life, as the citizens moved in a constant ebb and flow between vendors and street merchants. The merchants themselves were yelling there wares at the top of their lungs, each in an unspoken competition with the vendor closest to them.

Po, as he walked, saw spices, noodle carts, fruit stands, and richly ornamented fans being advertised, but no clothes of yet. Still, they should be able to see most of what the town had to offer just by continuing to walk through the street. Few stores had the luxury of an actual roof and walls, particularly in small townships like these.

"Hey!" he yelled suddenly, something catching his eye, "That cart sells dumplings! And tang-halurs!"

Shen ground his beak, swallowing back the abrupt rush of juices that rushed to his beak.

"W-we don't have time for that, panda..." he struggled out, trying not to smell the aromatic food, and failing. "Not out in the open like this."

Dunthrie stopped, staring longingly at the white balls and the sweet candy.

None of the party had eaten since morning, and that hardly could be considered breakfast by the badger's standards. Just some dry rice, because of Fenghuang's paranoia involving fire, and some dry fish.

Regardless, that delicious... Aromatic... Beautifully presented food... Looked good.

"Couldn't we just... Grab some for the road, then?" he asked pleadingly, added with emphasis from the growls of his stomach.

"We... Really... Shouldn't," Shen murmured weakly, unable to tear his eyes from the food, as if it had some magnetic power.

Fenghuang seemed immune to the urges of her stomach, instead seeming focused on getting her clothes. She was already several paces ahead, making her way back to the group after realizing they were no longer following.

"Are you following?" she asked, trying to see what they were all looking at, "You have all the money Po, I can't go anywhere without you..."

Po snapped out of his daze. "That's it! I have all the money, and I'm getting some dumplings! Move aside, Shen!"

The peacock raised no objection to being shoved aside like dirty laundry. There was food involved, and he, although he hated to admit it, was starving.

"Ohhhh! Eat quickly, if you please!" Fenghuang instructed testily, tapping her foot in impatience. Truth be told, although she prided herself on her masses of patience, she felt indescribably drawn to the idea of sorting through clothes. Perhaps it was the lure of actually owning something that drew her, or finding the perfect hues to match her color scheme. Whatever it was, she wanted to experience it.

Po returned, a bowl of steamed dumplings in one paw, and four sticks of the tang-halur candy.

"Here, you want one?" he offered, holding the bowl out to Shen and Dunthrie. His cheeks were already full of food.

"Yes I would, thank you," Shen nodded, taking two quickly. Dunthrie was less polite, grabbing a solid handful.

"Here," Po continued, "I got you a candy! Want one?"

He offered a stick to Shen. The peacock didn't refuse, picking the closest candy with all the dignity he could muster. It was not entirely seeming to yank from someone who was offering food freely, although Shen very much wished to do just that.

"What about me, eh?" Dunthrie piped up, although his mouth was crammed, "Do I get one of those candy things, then?"

Po handed him one. "Here you are!" he said, with a flourish and bow that would have made any restaurant waiter proud. Dunthrie took it, with much less primp and proper than Shen. He simply took the candy, and inserted it into his mouth.

Fenghuang frowned, crossing her wings. How could they spend so much time eating? Couldn't they see she was eager? Of course, she knew they were hungry. So, it was partly from guilt that she had hurried them to arrive. In fact, if it was up to her to quench their natrual appetite, she would have.

It wasn't really her fault, was it? That she refused them the luxury and utility of fire, denying them anything more than dry rice and fish? It was her fear of Yaan, the fear of the dragon...

"Should I find a place to rest, then?" she remarked dryly, keeping her eye focused on the ground, "It is a pity. I should have enjoyed acquiring some fresh apparel... today." The word 'today' was pronounced with added emphasis.

Po rolled his eyes, and held out one of the two remaining sticks of candy. "I got you one!" he said teasingly, wagging the stick in an inviting manner, "Here, you want it?"

Fenghuang eyed the panda sideways, then eyed the candy. The Dragon Warrior... Was offering her food. And he looked so... eager about it too. How could she stay mad at that?

She sighed, and held out her wing with an air of dramatic surrender. Po placed the stick in her snowy-white wing with a grin. He had found, quite accurately, that it was easy to calm a person down by offering them candy.

The Phoenix eyed the tang-halur suspiciously. Mortal food... you could never quite tell what it was going to taste like. She tentatively reached out her tongue towards it. She cut her eyes towards Po at the last minute. The panda had the whole stick in his mouth, and was seemingly enjoying it immensely. Fenghuang sighed again, and licked the candied stick quickly and experimentally. A jolt of sweetness ran through her tongue, and she gave another lick. It was good! Shopping and the wolves in pursuit were temporarily forgotten, as she finished up the divine food.

It was delicious... She thought, as she eyed the empty skewer regretfully. She wondered, briefly, fleetingly, what she was missing out on by forbidding fire from Po, their chef.

Then business was back. The world returned, and she breathed in, looking around. Po was finished, as was Shen and the badger, Dunthrie. It seemed the one they were all waiting for was... Her. She blushed, looking down.

"Well, we should be on our way, hmm?" she trilled quickly, looking at the ground with a sheepish expression on her pristine face.

"Of course," Shen replied knowingly, nodding with a darned infuriating smirk on his face, "We should not wish to... hold you up, now would we?"

"No you would not," Fenghuang replied loftily, breezing past the peacock indifferently.

Shen watched her pass in satisfied silence. He knew enough about reading people's masks to realize that Zhu Yin, queen of Avia, was SEETHING over spending too long eating candy. And he was privately enjoying that fact.

He followed her, suddenly coming to the realization that he enjoyed seeing her uncomfortable far too much. That was not a desirable trait to hold against your martial arts student. Because he could make her VERY uncomfortable in such a situation, if he so wished.

Suddenly, he nearly trod on her tail, as she abruptly stopped.

She was looking over some heavily ornamented fans, her wing tracing over the edges slowly. The peacock looked ver to the vendor- and met a pair of quivering blue eyes, as the goat behind the cart eyed him intensely for a second, before looking away shamefully.

Shen ruffled his feathers, suddenly aware that he was the center of several suspicious stares, the magnitude of which made him yearn for the open road again.

In front of him, the goat grinned nervously, and turned her attention back to the Phoenix, who had picked up the fan, and flutterred it experimentally.

"It's a good choice, ma'am..." the salesperson suggested warily. Obviously, she was distracted by Shen's proximity.

Fenghuang looked up quickly, seemingly shaking herself free of some daydream.

"Oh no, I-I can't," she assured quickly, folding the fan with an obviously practiced grace, "Thank you anyway."

She sauntered on her way absently, apparently lost in her own little world.

Shen noticed the salesperson cursing beneath her breath. She obviously wasn't too pleased on losing such an opulent customer. Shen shrugged, and followed after Fenghuang quickly, Po and Dunthrie trailing behind him.

The Phoenix made an absurdly easy target to trail, Shen realized. She stood out, even among the bustling crowd of dirty, sweaty animals. In fact, she seemed to stand out more so there than anywhere else. She didn't fit in at all, like a single diamond amongst a field of coal.

Of course, there was more than that. For the first time, Shen suddenly realized that people were scurrying to get out of his way. Anywhere he went, suddenly the street would empty. The peacock had taken this for granted, only now did he realize how odd it was.

Or rather, how odd he was. Looking around, Shen suddenly realized that everything in this town was stained a deep brown. And he, as always, stood out like a tongue of flame in a dark night.

Behind him, Po, too, had a clear zone around him. Of course, that was to be expected. If the villagers knew who Shen was, they almost certainly would know who Po was.

Fenghuang stopped again, this time at another cart, the proprietor of which was selling clothes, but not very good ones. Once upon a time, a younger Shen would have passed this cart without a second glance, no doubt on his way to find more silks to add to his already large assortment at home.

Now, Shen felt a second wave of glares hit him like a tidal wave. How had he managed to avoid these, as a prince? He turned his head away, keeping his eyes in the air.

"No thank you," he could hear, as if in another dimension, Fenghuang's voice, as she moved on.

How long had it been, he wondered, since he had been surrounded by so many people? It had to have been... A very long time.

Faint music reached his ears.

It reminded him of festivals, and dancing... A time when he was alienated, feared, yet respected. A time when he was a prince.

Again, he shook himself from his thoughts. Po was pointing out a juggling goose, but strangely, Shen couldn't hear it. All he could hear was that music.

The peacock closed his eyes for a brief minute, clearing his head. He opened his eyes again, slowly. Sound had returned. Shen breathed out in relief.

"Sheeennn, oh Sheenn..." Po was saying, waving his paw in the peacock's face, "You there, peacock?"

Shen blinked. "Yes, I'm here, Po... Your point is?"

"Well," Po answered, drawing back in surprise, "You... did kinda space out there, and Yin is getting further away. We should catch up."

Shen nodded, heading forward already.

For the next several hours, the group was forced into torture, following Fenghuang around as she traveled from shop to shop with all the determination and energy of a

hummingbird. She, eventually, narrowed down her choice to two different clothes, both meant for cold weather. One was a thick outfit resembling a slender dress, which wrapped diagonally across the body. It was snowy white, with blue at the cuffs and collar, and a thin line of blue reaching across the winding line.

The other was much similar in make, but was a golden in color, with thick, draping sleeves resembling wings. Designs resembling leaves in autumn patterned the sleeved and waist, giving in a distinct ornamental flair, while still remaining practical.

Shen leaned on a post, waiting and watching, while the Phoenix dithered between the two choices, for all practical purposes unable to choose.

The peacock leaned towards Po. "We could be here all day," he whispered conspiratorially, "How much longer can it take for her to choose? There isn't really much difference."

Po shrugged. "Yeah, well, you can't rush fashion," he reminded, "It took me and Viper an AGE to find that yin-yang robe for you."

Shen grumbled, but conceded. It was a fair point, after all.

"She should totally take the white one," Dunthrie commentated, "I mean, she's white, it's white... They just match, eh?"

Fenghuang breathed out, long and loud. "Thank you! I thought so! I'll take the white one, please!"

Shen blinked. "Seriously? You were just waiting for someone to give you some advice?" he asked her incredulously, "Why didn't you just ask?"

"Well, a girl likes some helpful compliments from time to time," Yin responded innocently, grinding her beak, "And sometimes we're just too proud to ask for them."

"So you would rather walk in circles for an hour?" Shen raised a black eyebrow in amusement.

"Oh hush you!" Fenghuang snapped playfully. Normally, she would have been annoyed by Shen's tone,

but she was apparently in far too good a mood for that right now.

Po came back, handing the nicely-wrapped winter robe to the Phoenix, and clapped his hands.

"Well, now that we have that out the way, maybe we could kinda... Find something to eat?" he asked hopefully, leaning forwards, "We should at least find somewhere to sleep, if we aren't going to do that."

"Sleep sounds nice!" Dunthrie nodded enthusiastically, "I don't mean to sound rude, miss, but your shopping trip took out all my stuffing! Where do we start?"

Fenghuang nodded in agreement. "We should find a place for the night, and perhaps the day after," she commented, sweeping the surrounding area with a golden eye.

"Fine," Po sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat, "Let's go looking for beddies."

To his left, Shen raised a long black eyebrow in an amused smirk. "Beddies, panda? Is that even a word?"

"It could be," Po humphed defensively, crossing his arms.

Dunthrie, behind them both, grinned fondly, shaking his black-and-white head in silence. Shen noticed, and turned to him curiously. "What do you find so interesting?"

Dunthrie looked up in startled surprise, searching Shen's face. The peacock at first thought that he wouldn't answer, but the mammal grunted. Apparently he detected an honest question, not sarcasm.

"Eh, just... Just that you two, eh, you are comfortable with each other. Like good friends." Dunthrie's eyes regained that faraway glaze, looking to the far west. "Ah, I guess it just reminds me of some friends I had back home. Us badgers have a jolly grand home... But ah suppose that you're not interested in hearing about an old badger's tales of home."

He lapsed into silence, and Shen could get no more from him.

The group made their way down the plaza, taking in the sights.

"Hey, there's an inn," Po pointed out, gesturing towards the building, "Only.. That looks too expensive."

"It does look... A little beyond our price range, doesn't it?" Shen remarked, giving the building a brief glance before moving on. "Look for another one."

The peacock followed his own advice dutifully, scanning the streets up and down for anywhere that looked suitable.

Something caught his eye. The Chinese symbol '神'. His own name.

On closer inspection, the character was painted on a wooden board sign, saying "Shen Chi Kung Fu academy". The divinity blaze Kung Fu academy, in other words.

He knotted his eyebrows. It felt weird, seeing his name there. He hadn't even known the place existed until now. How very odd.

"Hey, what'cha lookin' at?" Po scrutinized eagerly, leaning in the direction Shen was looking. "Hey cool, that place literally has your name on it! We should stop there!"

Shen jerked his head towards the panda in obvious disagreement. "There? A Kung Fu academy? They'd never let me in."

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic," Po frowned.

"They have to let me in, Shen. I'm kinda like the Dragon Warrior, after all. It does have it's privileges, and if they want to let me in, they have to, like, let you in too. It's simple, and, it'd most likely be free too! It's a win-win!"

Shen shook his head in exasperation. "Look, Po, I'm sure they would let you in. They would let Yin in, or maybe even Dunthrie. But I can guarantee that no martial arts teacher in his right mind would allow me, the one who vowed to destroy his art, inside their academy."

"We let you in," Po reminded, raising an eyebrow, "Are you saying Master Shifu's not in hs right mind?"

"Well, no..." the peacock stammered, crossing his wings in slight confusion, "But t-that was something exceptional, Po. You can't expect everyone to be as understanding as our Grandmaster."

Po grinned wryly, and looked down. "Well, suit yourself, Shen. I'm going to go check it out! Seriously, though..." he fixed Shen in a glare, and crossed his arms. "You are way too pessimistic."

Shen's beak opened in indignation, and he fixed Po in a laser eye glare. "I am not pessimistic! I'm realistic!"

He heard giggling. No doubt Yin found his expression amusing. Well, that didn't matter... even though he hated being funny.

"What's the difference?" Po argued, his arms still crossed obstinately, "You still see things all... Drab, and grey and stuff. Where are the cheery thoughts in realism, Shen?"

"That's how the world is, Po," Shen replied, his tone unusually thoughtful. "It's drab, and grey, and lifeless. The only color comes from what we make ourselves, and even that is soon snuffed out. Reality is cruel."

"Well then," Po nodded, standing a little straighter, "Perhaps we need to ignore reality a little."

He turned, and marched towards the academy.

Shen drooped in defeat, calling after the retreating figure for him to return. But Po did not.

"Oh... That panda!" the peacock growled.

"He's right, you know," Fenghuang said quietly, standing beside him, and watching Po head towards the academy doors. "The world may be drab, but our perception of it is greatly our own choice."

"Oh, don't you start as well," Shen snapped irritably. He was almost surprised at himself. Where did that come from? She hadn't really deserved that... Of course, she had giggled.

"There is a philosophy I often try to adhere myself to," Yin continued, seemingly ignoring his outburst, "It is that happiness is not so much a feeling, but an attitude. We, not our circumstances, are responsible for our own happiness."

The phoenix looked at Shen through the corners of her eyes, as if expecting him to say something.

Shen shook his head in silence, not really hearing Yin's advice at first. He was deep in his own morbid thoughts, imagining the exchange of words between Po and whoever opened the academy's doors. It took a while for the words to sink in.

He blinked, trying to go over the words again in his head. Hadn't... Was it just him, or had he heard that before?

"E-excuse me?" he asked, turning to Yin fully, "Where... What was that?"

Fenghuang sighed, as he often did when he had to repeat a point. Was she irritated? It was her own fault... He couldn't hear what she was saying.

"I said..." she shook her head, and took in a breath, softly, gently. "I said that we determine our own happiness, not our surroundings."

That was not what Shen had been asking about, but he let it go. It didn't matter anyways... He had probably heard that saying before from the Soothsayer. She was always saying things like that.

"I suppose I agree with you, in part," Shen said quietly, striding forwards after the panda. He turned his head briefly towards Yin, and sighed. "I have always believed... that happiness must be taken."

He turned away from the Sacred Phoenix, and walked after Po.

Po stood before the heavily ornamented doors of the academy. They were not as grand or as ancient as those of the Jade Palace, but they were purposeful and intimidating in their own right. The gleaming steel doors were emblazoned with a burning sunburst, which seemed to glow in the afternoon sun with a reddish blaze of their own.

"Welcome, traveler, to the resting place of divinity," an ibis, his voice venerable and ancient, bowed before him in respect. "Is there anything that we, the humble and harried students of the Divinity Blaze academy may do to assist you in your journey towards enlightenment?"

Po blinked. "Actually, we were just looking for a place to rest... Is this place full, or something? 'Cause we don't have to stay here..."

"That will not be necessary, young one," the ibis replied softly, "While we would rather guide you on your spiritual journey towards enlightenment, the callings of the flesh are also our responsibility to sate. I am Master Chang. For as long as you are here, you may call our home yours, my friend."

"Wow, really? You don't even know who I am, and you're just gonna let me in? I might be a thief!" Po exclaimed, throwing his arms out.

"Are you?" Chang asked, a sagely twinkle in his eye that reminded Po of Oogway.

"Well... No," Po admitted, "But I could have been, and then I could have lied, and then you'd have never known! Ha!"

"Well, it is good that you think of my safety," the avian chuckled, leaning sideways on his blackwood staff, "But as long as you are nothing to fear, then I have nothing to be afraid of, hmm? Make yourself welcome, my friend."

"Oh!" Po nodded, his eyed widening. Shen strode forwards, nodding to the ibis in greeting.

Po hurriedly introduced him. "Oh, ah, I forgot to mention, I have some friends with me... Ah, this is Shen, and those" - he gestured to Fenghuang and Dunthrie behind him - "are my two other companions, Yin and Dunthrie."

"Ah, former Lord Shen, eh?" Master Chang hobbled forwards, towards the albino peacock in a slow but steady motion. "I have heard about you, young one. In fact, I saw you, flying overhead in that flying machination you created."

"See? I told you!" Shen snapped accusingly towards the panda, then turned back towards Chang. "And?"

"And I also heard of your reprieve from the emperor, so I suppose it's alright, hmm?" the ibis smiled, placing both wings on his staff and leaning forwards, "I am curious as to how you got him to do that for you, you know."

"I-ah... Er..." Shen stammered, at a sudden and awkward loss for words.

"Ah, I see. It isn't my business," Chang dismissed with a wave of his wing. "You are all welcome here- in a short while."

Abruptly, the ibis disappeared back into the academy building. The large doors slammed with a resounding boom.

"Uhhh... Well... That was interesting, I suppose..." Po shrugged, staring at the now-closed doors, "I didn't even know doors that big could close that fast."

"So... They are going to open those doors again, right?" Dunthrie asked, coming up alongside them, Fenghuang on his heels.

"See? What did I tell you? One look at me, and there goes any bed we may have had," Shen huffed accusatorially, "Let's go find someplace else."

"Whoa, hold on!" Po stated, holding out his arms, "He said they would open the door again, and so we will wait here until they do. He seemed like a nice enough guy."

He also did NOT want to be proven wrong by Shen on this point, but he thought that this reason was far less important. No reason to bring that up. Honestly though, Shen needed something to kick out his overly dark perspective on the world.

The doors creaked open, and a figure stepped out. It was Chang, but this time, he was not alone. He was accompanied by a much younger-looking girl, a pheasant.

"Excuse me," the old Ibis nodded, bowing again, "Our academy was not presentable. We hope you are not angered."

Po sent Shen a triumphant look, while the peacock huffed.

"This," Chang continued, gesturing to the pheasant standing next to him, "Is Miss Xuan-Lian Hua. She is my assistant-"

"But you just call me Xua," the pheasant practically squeaked in a excited and girly tone.

"I was about to tell them that, my dear," the aged master remarked idly, "I believe I shall have to give her some lessons on patience. But she was very excited to meet you, Dragon Warrior."

"O-oh! A fan! Always a pleasure, miss," Po grinned, tipping an imaginary hat. Shen could swear the girl practically fainted.

"Come in," Chang said, motioning them inside with his wing. Xua hurriedly scrambled to get out the way, blushing profusely.

The party entered slowly, looking around at their surroundings as they did.

The whole building was made of iron, save for the floors. The symbol of the sunburst was branded on the walls, just like the door, except these were far larger. Lamps, unlit, lined the walls, and the panda could see some kind of powder inside them.

Around them, tall glistening pillars reached up towards the ceiling, much like the ones at the Jade Palace. However, these had swirling Phoenixes forged from some orange metal, chasing their tails around the pillar.

Fenghuang noted those with some strange kind of fascination, shaking her head at the visages. Po figured they must look weird to her. He always thought pictures of him seemed strange when he looked at them.

Here and there, Po could see what he presumed to be students, peering at them curiously through the pillars. Most of them were birds, he noticed. He suddenly wondered what kind of style they taught here.

"Would you like some tea, Dragon Warrior?" Xua, standing to the side, offered hopefully.

"Err..." Po shot a glance at the rest of the party. They nodded.

"Yes I would. Three cups, please."

"Oh! Ok! I'll be right back!" the pheasant bounced down a hall, out of sight.

Abruptly, she reappeared. "I mean, I'll be right back, sir! Sir! I... Forgot..." she dissapeared, back down the hall.

"Cute," Fenghuang remarked, leaning towards Po, "But there are four of us. Only three cups of tea?"

"Yeah, I don't really like the stuff," Po shrugged, "But I couldn't just say no, now could I?"

Yin lapsed into silence, apparently thinking about something.

"Make yourselves at home," Chang nodded, beginning to walk down the hall after Xua, "I have to go take care of my assistant."

"I wonder what she needs help with-" Po started. A yelp sounded down the hall, as if someone had spilled boilingwater on themselves. "Never mind."

"Have you noticed how many times he has told us to 'make ourselves at home'?" Shen pointed out, leaning towards Po's ear and whispering, "It doesn't seem right to me. It is probably a trap!"

"Shen..." Po replied in a normal voice, rolling his eyes, "That 'doesn't seem right' is what normal people call 'hospitality'. It's something you need to get used to."

"Of course, because I'm completely not normal," Shen snorted. He tried to sound casual, but hurt dripped from his voice like rainwater.

"Oh come on, Shen, that's not what I meant and you know it," Po frowned, crossing his arms and facing the peacock gruffly.

"We should not argue, not here," Fenghuang pointed out wisely, glancing around, "Shen, please..."

Shen huffed. "Well, then, if it's just hospitality, it's still strange. No-one in their right mind offers me hospitality."

Po decided not to answer, seating himself at a simple wooden chair nearby. If Shen wished to be paranoid, let him. Just don't let it interfere with business.

Dunthrie sat next to him. "Ah feel like I'm treading on glass, eh? "Ah am sure I'm gonna break something."

"It feels rather quaint to me," Fenghuang remarked, sliding in at the opposite side of the table, sitting by the window, "At least, after, well, Heaven, it seems."

Shen remained standing, crossing his wings and looking aloof. Po could tell he was muttering to himself.

"Your tea?" Po turned, and saw that Xua had somehow managed to get there without him noticing. He blamed Shen.

"Oh, yeah, thanks," Po replied, taking the tray from the pheasant, and setting it on the table.

"Oh goody, tea..." Dunthrie muttered. His tone was obviously sarcastic.

Xua raised an eyebrow in worry. "Would you like something else?"

"Well, ah would like something a wee bit..." he made a stretching motion with his fingers, and grinned.

"Sorry, alcoholic beverages are not allowed on the premises," Xua informed him, an unsympathetic grin on her beak, which she was trying without much success to hide.

"Oh..." the badger said quickly, "Here Po, you can have my tea," he then offered generously, pushing the cup towards Po with a sanguine grin.

"Oh, no, really, you drink it..." Po smiled a little too widely, and pushed the cup back.

"No, you forgot to order yourself one," Dunthrie replied, nudging the cup back again in front of Po, "So I insist that you have mine!"

Po cut his eyes towards Xua, who was watching with a confused expression on her face. "Would... One of you like another cup?" she asked uncertainly.

"Oh, fine..." Po relented, trying not to sound too disgusted. He lifted the cup, gave one last glance at Xua, and downed the tea in one gulp.

"Mmmm-mmm!" he swallowed, raising the cup, "Good stuff!"

The young pheasant smiled, backing away with a bow. She bumped into Shen.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she yelped, "I didn't see you there!"

"This is why females are not normally permitted at dining tables..."

Shen mumbled, looking at his own spilled tea on his robes. The remark earned him a glare from Fenghuang and a worried expression from Xua.

"It's fine. I didn't see you there either," Shen amended, huffing and finally taking a seat.

Xua left, vanishing down one of the long corridors of the academy. Po noted Shen's eyes following her.

"Clumsy..." the peacock murmured, "Overly enthusiastic, and doesn't make good tea. I don't like her."

"Relax Shen!" Fenghuang reprimanded, "She's young, she will learn in time. Besides, we won't be here but one day. You won't even see her again, probably."

"Good," Shen huffed again, "As I said, she's-"

"Cute," Yin interrupted, "She's young, naive, and innocent. A refreshing breath in this dank world."

"That makes up for anything?" Shen asked sceptically.

"I think so," the Phoenix replied mildly.

Po took in a deep breath. "Shen, you were a little mean to her. You are in kind of a mood, aren't you?"

Shen rolled his eyes and huffed. He deigned a response other than that.

Po leaned forwards a little, and whispered in a conspiratorial tone. "I have to agree with you though, I can't say much for her tea."

Fenghuang sighed, lifting her own cup to her beak. "I don't think so," she said, taking a long sip, "I find it simply delicious!"

* * *

_Author's note: This chapter is mostly filler, you may notice. The point of introducing Xua? Don't ask me. She is more about showing that Shen is getting disgruntled than about her in particular. I'm building up now to the part one finale... So keep tabs!_

_Big thanks to my sister, without whom this chapter would not have been possible._


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